Too many rules in the Catholic Chruch?

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kayla

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Hi my friends,
I know I can always count on you to help me with sticky questions. I was up in Milwaukee visiting a close friend (she’s protestant) . Luckly there was a catholic church just 2 blocks down the street from her. So sunday morning just before church I went to the grocery store with her…we picked up some stuff for brunch…on the way home she said here try this granola, it’s great…it was a 15 min before Mass and I said…sorry but I’m fasting so I can go to communion. then she said “Oh thats the problem with you Catholics, you have way too many rules” :o I was stumped and didn’t know what to say! she caught me off guard:confused: …what should I have said to her???
 
I would have said that I would be receiving the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of my Lord Jesus Christ very soon and I am showing I believe that and reverence the Lord by abstaining from ordinary food before I receive Him
 
well at least we have rules;)
sorry that was uncalled for…but the rules, history etc. are there for a reason…
 
Fasting is just a form of purification before receiving the Communion.

…surely you can say to your friend that “Mk 10:25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Some people want to come to God, but they want to take shortcuts.
 
You were on the way to the most wonderful joyous sacred banquet in creation - and she wants you to eat before such a banquet? Perish the thought! We are to go hungry - physically and spiritually.

And for the authority to make such rules see the keys given to Peter and the power tobind and loose.
 
What to say to her? Probably nothing. What she said was a statement, not a question.

What you see in these forums is a good example. The questions and answers are very deep, both philosphically and historically. Our practices often go back a long way. Fasting is very biblical in origin, brief though this pre-Mass fast is.

Someone mentioned the other day, that we have a constitution that’s plain enough for everyone to see. But, we have many judges and courts who have been interpreting it for a couple hundred years. AND, that’s because, we want to get it right.

Looking at the Church as a collection of rules, is rather nearsighted. Some things are so obvious, that they can be summarized into books and catechisms. Been there, done that, you know?

Fasting for one hour before Mass is a “rule” whose intention is to prepare us for Mass and the Eucharist.

Big deal – if you couldn’t eat a granola bar. Really.
 
kayla said:
Hi my friends,
I know I can always count on you to help me with sticky questions. I was up in Milwaukee visiting a close friend (she’s protestant) . Luckly there was a catholic church just 2 blocks down the street from her. So sunday morning just before church I went to the grocery store with her…we picked up some stuff for brunch…on the way home she said here try this granola, it’s great…it was a 15 min before Mass and I said…sorry but I’m fasting so I can go to communion. then she said “Oh thats the problem with you Catholics, you have way too many rules” :o I was stumped and didn’t know what to say! she caught me off guard:confused: …what should I have said to her???
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I would have asked her how many she thought was not “too many.”

I would have asked her how many she had and why and where she got them.

I would have asked her to please save me some granola.

And I might have thanked her for implying that that’s the only problem!

Anna
 
Hi,

Is that true that you have to go hungry? You are absolutely not allowed to eat before you go to church. I did not know that. I better tell my catholic friends.👍

I am not catholic, but I would never have said that. Maybe if it happens again you could say, I am following my faith and leave it at that. I say things–like being submissive to my husband and my friends think Im nuts. I just say Im trying to be a Godly wife. If people do not understand what it means to follow Christ they will look at you like a religious freak.😦 Sadly that is most of society.😦
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Hi,

Is that true that you have to go hungry? You are absolutely not allowed to eat before you go to church. I did not know that. I better tell my catholic friends.👍

I am not catholic, but I would never have said that. Maybe if it happens again you could say, I am following my faith and leave it at that. I say things–like being submissive to my husband and my friends think Im nuts. I just say Im trying to be a Godly wife. If people do not understand what it means to follow Christ they will look at you like a religious freak.😦 Sadly that is most of society.😦
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Of course you dont have to go hungry to mass…you can eat before mass as long as you fast for 1 hour prior to mass.
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Hi,

Is that true that you have to go hungry? You are absolutely not allowed to eat before you go to church. I did not know that. I better tell my catholic friends.👍
(
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You don’t have to be hungry, but it is kind of the same idea. Normal people don’t eat before they go to Thanksgiving dinner, so it is kind of the same thing about not eating before communion. It’s good to be both physically and spiritually hungry to receive Christ.
ALLFORHIM said:
I am not catholic, but I would never have said that. Maybe if it happens again you could say, I am following my faith and leave it at that. I say things–like being submissive to my husband and my friends think Im nuts. I just say Im trying to be a Godly wife. If people do not understand what it means to follow Christ they will look at you like a religious freak.😦 Sadly that is most of society.:

(
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Yeah, you’re absolutly right. People in our society think of rules is a bad thing, and a barrier to freedom. An Olympic athlete, however, observes a tremendous about of rules. So does a classically trained pianist. But these rules give them the freedom to perform at the highest level. In the modern world, especially in the US, we want the benefits of hard work, without the difficulty of hard work.
 
valient_Lucy said:
You don’t have to be hungry, but it is kind of the same idea. Normal people don’t eat before they go to Thanksgiving dinner, so it is kind of the same thing about not eating before communion. It’s good to be both physically and spiritually hungry to receive Christ.

Yeah, you’re absolutly right. People in our society think of rules is a bad thing, and a barrier to freedom. An Olympic athlete, however, observes a tremendous about of rules. So does a classically trained pianist. But these rules give them the freedom to perform at the highest level. In the modern world, especially in the US, we want the benefits of hard work, without the difficulty of hard work.
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Hi,
Thank you as well. Great analogy with athlete. Christ gives us the freedom to follow Him to the highest level as well.😃

You guys are great! You answer my questions so fast:thumbsup:
 
The Jews must have said the same thing to Moses when he came down from the Mount.
 
Football isnt much fun when you dont follow the rules.

In fact they are there so that we can enjoy it to the full.

I see no difference with that to the Catholic faith.

Peace and God Bless in Jesus Christ.
 
kayla said:
Hi my friends,
I know I can always count on you to help me with sticky questions. I was up in Milwaukee visiting a close friend (she’s protestant) . Luckly there was a catholic church just 2 blocks down the street from her. So sunday morning just before church I went to the grocery store with her…we picked up some stuff for brunch…on the way home she said here try this granola, it’s great…it was a 15 min before Mass and I said…sorry but I’m fasting so I can go to communion. then she said “Oh thats the problem with you Catholics, you have way too many rules” :o I was stumped and didn’t know what to say! she caught me off guard:confused: …what should I have said to her???
Click to expand...
I would have said, “Well, Adam and Eve only had one (!) rule to follow. (Gen. 2:16-17. Coincidentally, it was about not eating.) They didn’t follow the rule and look what happened to us!” 😃
 
ALLFORHIM said:
Hi,

Is that true that you have to go hungry? You are absolutely not allowed to eat before you go to church. I did not know that. I better tell my catholic friends.👍
Click to expand...
Yes, there are a lot of Catholics who act like they are unaware of it. But before you tell them, make sure they are over the age of 18, under the age of 60, and not pregnant or having a medical condition like diabetes, etc.

Also, the one hour fast is one hour before Holy Communion, so if someone were to interpret it legalistically, they could eat something right up until 15 minutes before Mass begins, assuming that Holy Communion begins about 45 minutes into the Mass. (I try to fast for most of the morning before I go to Mass.)
 
Blinky said:
I would have said, “Well, Adam and Eve only had one (!) rule to follow. (Gen. 2:16-17. Coincidentally, it was about not eating.) They didn’t follow the rule and look what happened to us!” 😃
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Brilliant 😉
 
I was just listening last weekend (CDs) to a debate between Tim Staples and Calvary Chapel. Bill (Protestant debater) brought up the issue of “rules” and being " a heavy burden". The funny thing is I have never thought I was carrying a heavy burden…nor that there are “many” rules. Is not like catholics carry with them a rule book at all times to see what we can or can’t do/say/think etc.

BTW I also like to fast, generally having breakfast in the morning and mass in the evening. (some times I do have a bit of a lunch though:o )

Alex
 
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