Water Bottles durring Mass

[lizaanne]

What is wrong with society that they can’t deprive themselves of anything? Not even for Our Lord.

Amen to that!

How difficult is this? Really? You drink some water before mass, you sit still and quiet and respectful for one hour, then you go home and drink whatever you desire.

But for one single hour can we just get out of the “it’s all about me” mentality and just leave the water or anything else for that matter?

What in the world did people do 50+ years ago? Perish from dehydration in the aisles?

Give me a break.

Leave the darn bottles at home for cryin’ out loud.

~Liza

 

[daeve]

Thank you. That’s what I wanted to know. I will add that 3 to 4 times a night is still not every hour. Can you truly not go one hour without water?

I am asking sincerely. I don’t believe anyone has a problem with true medical necessity. The issue here is that it has become common place.

As to those saying we should all mind our own business, I would be more inclined to agree with you if it were really just a few people across the globe who truly NEEDED water more than every hour. But that’s not what’s happening.

Our houses of worship are beginning to look more like movie theaters or the playland at MacDonald’s, with children eating and playing with toys and even adults now having a drink while listening to the sermon. There is nothing sacred and respectful about such an atmosphere, and we also have the command to tell our brothers and sisters when they are doing something wrong, which is decidedly NOT ‘minding our own business.’ The question at hand seems to be: is it wrong to sip on water bottles during mass? Was it wrong for Jesus to admonish the money changers in the temple? Talk about not minding your own business!

In case you’re really interested…during the day, when I used to talk on the phone at work – I would sip every few minutes. My mouth gets so dry, my tongue sticks to the roof. Other diabetics and people who take a lot of medicine have had similar experiences. I’m not on the phone all day anymore so I drink about four 32 ounce cups while at work. I have a cup in the car all the time, and at least 6 bottles in the back seat for “just in case”. In the evening at home, it’s harder to tell because I’m not using that big plastic cup, just a regular one. The big plastic cup is on the bed table though. I sleep about 5 or 6 hours a night, so maybe not every hour when I’m sleeping. When I’m awake, no, I personally cannot go an hour or so without water. I don’t think this is really common, and I would agree that most people don’t need to be drinking at Mass.

But there are people – like me – who must have water available all the time. I don’t think my health problems cause a scandal in the choir stand. I have severe arthritis too, and cannot kneel or genuflect. But I’m there, I’m respectful, participating, and prayerful. Not being able to kneel kept me out of the choir for a long time, but that’s what I have to give. I stand to sing, then have to sit down again. My legs get numb if I stand too long. Christmas and Easter week are tricky, but standing that long is my little sacrifice. Not a big deal for most people, but a trial for me.

 

[paramedicgirl]

I understand that this is a forum for expressing opinions. I guess I just don’t understand why your opinions have to be everyone’s opinions. Mine are different than yours, and you are insinuating that I have a ME mentality. Truthfully, you don’t know me. And just because I see nothing wrong with someone drinking water during Mass doesn’t make it so. I know God loves our sacrifices. I just don’t believe YOU should tell ME what I should or should not sacrifice. I do sacrifice, and maybe I sacrifice things that you do not. You have no way of knowing that. Regardless, I don’t think it’s up to me to tell you what to sacrifice. I just get such a judgemental vibe from you in y our posting on this thread.

I may be misreading you, because I really don’tknow you. And if I am, I’m sorry. This is just a “hotspot” for me. (no, not the water, but judging others based on personal opinion not grounded in Church doctrine or scripture). I get very angry when I see this for so many reasons. I guess it just raises my ire a bit.

Isn’t this a double standard? You don’t want to hear my opinions about water bottles in Mass, but you want us to listen to yours? Give me a break.

 

[jmcrae]

I understand that this is a forum for expressing opinions. I guess I just don’t understand why your opinions have to be everyone’s opinions. Mine are different than yours, and you are insinuating that I have a ME mentality.

If you were conducting a job interview, and all of a sudden right in the middle of you explaining the duties of the job the person is applying for, suddenly they pull out a water bottle, stick it in their face, and start going GLUCK-A-LUK-A-LUK-GLUGSLUG SLUG, what are the chances you would actually hire that person?

Would you not think to yourself, “Hey, fellow, you can drink water before or after the interview, but not right in my face when I’m in the middle of trying to explain something important to you.”

Or if a child came up to you to ask a question, and then right in the middle of you answering the question, the child all of a sudden starts drinking out of a bottle, would you think he was paying attention, or interested in the answer you’re giving him?

It’s the same at Mass. When people start picnicking at Mass, whether it’s chewing gum, slugging on a water bottle, or munching on crackers, it’s disrespectful to what’s going on.

We’re supposed to be paying attention, and as my first grade teacher used to explain, “paying attention” means that your eyes are focused on what’s going on up front, your ears are listening to the person up front who’s talking, and your hands, feet, and other parts of your body are in a resting position, staying still - not fidgeting or kicking, not eating something, and not playing with something.

When my eyes can see your eyes, then I know you are paying attention to me, but if you’re doing something else, then I get the feeling that you’re not interested in what I have to say.

I’m sure our priests feel the same way at Mass when everyone is glugging away on their water bottles, and I’m sure it’s very disappointing to them, when they are trying so hard to help us get to know Jesus better.

 

[boppaid]

Isn’t this a double standard? You don’t want to hear my opinions about water bottles in Mass, but you want us to listen to yours? Give me a break.

I guess I didn’t misread you. (I’m teasing, but I couldn’t resist based on the tone of this post!

I don’t mind hearing your opinions about this. I just don’t think you need to tell me what my opinions should be. For example, I think there’s nothing wrong with drinking water at Mass. You do. I will NOT try to enforce MY opinion that it’s fine on you and ask that you start drinking water at mass. Likewise, I don’t expect you to tell me what I should or should not sacrifice for our Lord. That’s all I’m saying.

It should be noted that I never drank water at mass. I don’t feel a strong desire to do so. But I would not judge someone who would.

 

[boppaid]

If you were conducting a job interview, and all of a sudden right in the middle of you explaining the duties of the job the person is applying for, suddenly they pull out a water bottle, stick it in their face, and start going GLUCK-A-LUK-A-LUK-GLUGSLUG SLUG, what are the chances you would actually hire that person? [/wuote]

Chances are pretty slim. Thankfully no one here is in charge of hiring me. Please note, though, that I am not defending anyone’s right to go “GLUCK-A-LUK-A-LUK-GLUGSLUG SLUG”. That is just yucky manners.
jmcrae;1802512:

It’s the same at Mass. When people start picnicking at Mass, whether it’s chewing gum, slugging on a water bottle, or munching on crackers, it’s disrespectful to what’s going on.

That’s an incorrect statement. Sipping water is not on the same par as chewing gum or munching on crackers as the Church as said gum and crackers are not allowed before the Eucharist. The church has not said anything about water, other than it’s allowed.

We’re supposed to be paying attention, and as my first grade teacher used to explain, “paying attention” means that your eyes are focused on what’s going on up front, your ears are listening to the person up front who’s talking, and your hands, feet, and other parts of your body are in a resting position, staying still - not fidgeting or kicking, not eating something, and not playing with something.

I’m sorry that you feel you cannot pay attention while sipping water. If that’s the case, you certainly should not do so. I think a great many people can, though.

When my eyes can see your eyes, then I know you are paying attention to me, but if you’re doing something else, then I get the feeling that you’re not interested in what I have to say.

The Lord doesn’t need to read our body language…he sees our hearts.

 

[paramedicgirl]

I guess I didn’t misread you. (I’m teasing, but I couldn’t resist based on the tone of this post!

I don’t mind hearing your opinions about this. I just don’t think you need to tell me what my opinions should be. For example, I think there’s nothing wrong with drinking water at Mass. You do. I will NOT try to enforce MY opinion that it’s fine on you and ask that you start drinking water at mass. Likewise, I don’t expect you to tell me what I should or should not sacrifice for our Lord. That’s all I’m saying.

It should be noted that I never drank water at mass. I don’t feel a strong desire to do so. But I would not judge someone who would.

You can drink all the water you want, and make as few or as many sacrifices as you like. It’s all between you and God. I’m just glad that the water bottle phenonemon hasn’t caught on yet in my church. I’m hoping it never will.

 

[jmcrae]

The Lord doesn’t need to read our body language…he sees our hearts.

Aren’t we also supposed to be showing respect to our priests and to our fellow parishioners?

The Catholic faith is not a “me and Jesus” religion - how we treat each other is considered equally important.

And, yes, Jesus is reading our hearts, and I’m sure He feels very disappointed whenever people show disrespect to His priests, and whenever they become involved in meeting their bodily desires in the middle of Holy Mass.

 

[boppaid]

You can drink all the water you want, and make as few or as many sacrifices as you like. It’s all between you and God. I’m just glad that the water bottle phenonemon hasn’t caught on yet in my church. I’m hoping it never will.

Oh, okay. Thanks for clarifying!! Sorry then! I thought you were saying that you thought badly about people who do drink water. I misunderstood. And, again, I personally don’t drink water during mass. (Not that it really matters, I suppose. )

 

[boppaid]

Aren’t we also supposed to be showing respect to our priests and to our fellow parishioners?

The Catholic faith is not a “me and Jesus” religion - how we treat each other is considered equally important.

And, yes, Jesus is reading our hearts, and I’m sure He feels very disappointed whenever people show disrespect to His priests, and whenever they become involved in meeting their bodily desires in the middle of Holy Mass.

See, the thing is that I don’t view it as disrespectful. In your opinion, it is. That’s the difference.

 

[jmcrae]

See, the thing is that I don’t view it as disrespectful. In your opinion, it is. That’s the difference.

But you have already admitted that if someone did it to you, you would consider it disrespectful.

So, how is doing it to a priest during Mass not disrespectful?

Are our priests less worthy of respect than you are?

Is Holy Mass itself less worthy of respect than you are?

 

[mercygate]

I understand that mass is sacred. I guess I just don’t see a sip of water taking away that sacredness. You say everything you do should reflect reverence. I don’t think denying yourself a drink of water when your mouth is dry or your thirsty makes a person any more reverent. I feel that whether or not drinking water during mass is disrespectful is personal opinion. If you feel it’s wrong, then I would say don’t do it. But until it comes down from the Vatican itself that it’s wrong or irreverant, I would try not to be so judgemental about people who have a different opinion than you.

And if this is something that the Church has declared as “wrong”, then I’ll agree with all of you. I honestly am not sure if there is something like that. Thus, the reason I asked “what makes it wrong”.

It’s a cultural norm. Tending to bodily functions, especially optional ones, like quenching one’s thirst RIGHT THIS MINUTE, is definitely a sign of self-absorption. Moreover, as we learned in kindergarten, it is considered impolite to drink or eat if you are not prepared to share with everyone around you.

 

[mercygate]

How did He put it, " Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote our of thy eye; and behold a beam is in thy own eye?" The ones with the water bottles may be the ones actually paying attention at Mass, while perhaps the ones counting the water bottles are too busy…
I think that if one were concentrating more on what is happening on the Altar, one would probably not notice the water bottles so much.

If one were concentrating on what is happening on the altar, one would not be drinking water.

 

[KathleenElsie]

I agree. However, if this were wrong, I think it’s up to the Church to first decide if it’s wrong, rather than admonishing people based on personal opinion.

Yes the Church has allowed water and medication. But remember that this rule was made when everyone did not have plastic water bottles to suck on.

The only ones sucking on something to drink were the babies at their mothers breasts.

 

[rayne89]

I’ve only seen it once at Mass. The reason I saw is because the woman accidently dropped the bottle as she entered the pew in front of us and it went rolling across the floor. She is a rather heavy set woman who seems to have some difficulty getting around so I assumed it was for medical reasons.

While I certainly would not bring a water bottle to Mass I would hate pass to judgement on someone when they may actually really need it. Medical conditions are not always visable.

I tend to agree it seems we spend too much time looking around worrying about others behaviors, clothing etc. I’m sure we have enough faults of our own that we could concentrate on instead of dwelling on others.

 

[CuriousInIL]

What is going to be next? Blowing one’s nose at mass?

 

[Karin]

What is going to be next? Blowing one’s nose at mass?

as long as you dont smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_13_22.gif or this smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_2_17.gif than you can blow your nose

smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=ZSzeb098&pp=ZN

 

[boppaid]

But you have already admitted that if someone did it to you, you would consider it disrespectful.

No, I said:

and start going GLUCK-A-LUK-A-LUK-GLUGSLUG SLUG

I was making a joke, because I’ve never heard someone make that noise while drinking. I was being silly. I also said:

Please note, though, that I am not defending anyone’s right to go “GLUCK-A-LUK-A-LUK-GLUGSLUG SLUG”. That is just yucky manners.

I do think manners are important, and noisy sloppy drinking is disruptive. Someone quiety sipping is not. I do not consider someone drinking quiety, NOT calling attention to themselves to be either disrespectful or disruptive. That’s all I’m saying.

 

[boppaid]

It’s a cultural norm. Tending to bodily functions, especially optional ones, like quenching one’s thirst RIGHT THIS MINUTE, is definitely a sign of self-absorption. Moreover, as we learned in kindergarten, it is considered impolite to drink or eat if you are not prepared to share with everyone around you.

Actually, if we’re going by “cultural norms” then it would be acceptable to drink bottled water in church as it is acceptable to drink it most anywhere in our society. Also, since when did Catholics use cultural norms to determine what is or is not moral and right? I’m surprised, actually, to hear that argument.

I don’t know why I’m debating this to death…I don’t even do it! I think it’s the principle that’s got me going! That, and the stress of having to take my state boards this weekend! EEK!

 

[boppaid]

Yes the Church has allowed water and medication. But remember that this rule was made when everyone did not have plastic water bottles to suck on.

The only ones sucking on something to drink were the babies at their mothers breasts.

Good point! I do think, though, that the Church has the means to make this rule now if they think it’s an issue that needs to be addressed.