Would you help me with this issue, please?

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stuartbrianhenlis said:
Could you please elaborate about doing “other things” that could help me “ensure that I am following His path”? I truly need suggestions.
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Do you have a spiritual director? Have you considered getting one? Having someone you can talk with about your faith life and the difficulties you are encountering can be very helpful.
 
I’m kind of in the same spot you are…struggling to form a good concept of God, going to Mass and feeling empty. I think there’s nothing else but to push through and pray that eventually the feeling goes away. I’ll pray that you find your way.
 
I don’t take my meds because I want to, I take them because I need to, and even though in the moment I don’t feel like I’m getting anything out of them, they are saving my life.

Sometimes they even give me a headache, or tummy ache or other issue, but the reality is that behind the scenes they are saving my life.

As I recall, obedience matters in the Catholic Church. Going to Mass so you won’t go to hell is a pretty compelling reason, and beyond that you might be getting more out of it than you realize, no matter how it feels in the moment.

We don’t always love doing the right thing, but by doing it regardless of our feelings, we reap the rewards, and feelings are very subject to change.

Best to you!
 
When do you feel most alive? Most joyful? Start by recognizing God then.

And also, what image of God makes most sense to you? And realize that there is a tradition within the Church, the apophatic tradition, recognizing that no image is adequate.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
Are you Catholic? Catholics are obligated to attend Sunday Mass. To miss it without a good reason like illness is a sin.

The OP is looking for a Catholic perspective here, not some guy to tell him “Yeah go ahead and skip Mass, you can catch up to God another time.” WRONG!
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I didn’t say that he can catch up with God another time. It’s more like he can do it anytime.

I get what you’re saying, going to church is in the 10 commandments. And, yes, I’m a Catholic. I played the organ for the choir for church Masses for years, so you don’t need to get sassy.

All I’m saying is that God, in general, didn’t stay in church all His life either. Isn’t there a phrase in Galatians 2:20 which states that “God lives in me”? That being said, you can channel yourself to Him anytime, anywhere.

It’s cool if you like being in church, though, Tis. Good for you.
 
Actually the Catholic Church teaches:

Fear of Hell (is a Holy Fear of God’s Justice) and IS acceptable to God!!!

It is usually the first step of sinners;
  1. the sinner fears God’s Justice and decides to convert
Through prayer and good works, the sinner then comes to avoid sin not out of fear of Hell, but out of LOVE of God.

You are on stage one!

And also: ignore satan,
Satan is just trying to tempt you to avoid mass.

Did you know it is a mortal sin to deliberately not attend your Sunday (or Saturday vigil mass)?
So ignore satan. If something isn’t a mortal sin, just say an act of contrition and keep going.

Going to mass is holy.
Whether out of fear of Hell, or love of God.

Both are holy to God. Fear of His Justice, and Love of His Mercy.
 
I did not go to church for a few years for personal reasons. I did return to church a couple of years ago with a different perspective and am on a new faith journey that has led to many blessings. I also went to confession and stated that I have not attended mass for while. I got the welcome back and that I was taking the right steps as I was ready to begin my faith journey. No one pointing fingers at me, they just welcomed me back. So, please do not show the sassy attitude as this may be a reason as to why should I attend church if I am facing such an attitude.
 
PeteFollower said:
And, yes, I’m a Catholic. I played the organ for the choir for church Masses for years, so you don’t need to get sassy.
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If you’re a Catholic, and such a good Catholic that you were playing the organ in church for 10 years, then why are you suggesting to the OP that he doesn’t need to go to Mass? Sounds like you might be encouraging someone to sin. Why would you want to do that?
 
Jesus died for me, I would not want anyone to suffer on my account, but Jesus did. It must mean that Jesus loves each and everyone of us; as he loves himself.

This is a love beyond my understanding, I cannot see why anyone should deserve it. But I am left with the feeling that I should give something back, I have to do something.
 
Idk what im looking for exactly or if this is the right place but i was looking for a priest to speak to online becuz i dont have my own or someone to talk to just about being spiritual in general and demonic attachments. Does anyone no of a website or where i can find someone
 
CoreyMMA, what does that mean, you don’t have one of your own? If you go to mass somewhere, make an appointment to speak to a priest there. I am not sure there is a priest anywhere that has time to speak online about demonic attachment conversations. Why are you resisting actually speaking to a priest?

You may want to start your own thread for your question, by the way.
 
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Irishmom, CoreyMMA isn’t Catholic (or any religion) and that’s why he doesn’t have a priest or know where to start with this.

Cory, we have very few priests posting on this forum, and the subjects you mention are difficult for a priest to address online. Most priests would prefer to speak with you in person.
I would suggest that if you are interested in the Catholic Church, you call one near you and try to make an appointment to speak to a priest or a deacon there, in person. But I would caution you that many priests and deacons are very overworked, so they might not have time right away.
 
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OP, Do an RCIA course and become Catholic best decision I ever made 🙂 (Catholic since EASTER!!). The more I go to mass the more I feel I am overcoming problems in life. Of course that’s God working in my life thru the Eucharist so going to Mass is the best thing you can do the more you go the more addictive it becomes! I don’t think it will always be so easy and indeed I’ve missed 2 masses and really felt the loss of it so went to confession which is also amazing 😉 stick with it ! I used to be one of those Christians who was like ‘doesn’t matter if you go to church or not’. Wrong !
 
Of course you can connect with God anywhere but in the Catholic Church there is a reason we are obliged to go each Sunday. It’s to connect with our church family and meet with Christ himself in the Eucharist. It is our spiritual food and drink and it’s all about the scripture about ‘remaining in me and I in you’, the vine and the branches’. You will wither spiritually if you don’t regularly go to mass. (I speak from having experienced both ways) and not going to mass is like choosing not to eat well or exercise.
 
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Attending mass to avoid going to Hell is not hypocritical. There are a lot of bad things that I have avoided doing in order to avoid going to Hell.
Many times when God wants to lead someone to a greater holiness, He will remove many of the consolations that He had been giving. You may feel as if you ae not getting anything out of the mass but inreality you are giving of your self in a way that brings you into closer communion with Jesus Himself. .
 
As poche states, attending Mass, or praying, or confessing to avoid hell is NOT hypocritical. It is fulfilling God’s commandments. However, as long as you remain in such servile fear in your practice of religion, you are only at the very beginning. The fear of God is the BEGINNING of wisdom. You’ve got to work toward love of God, because LOVE casts out FEAR.
My entire religious life changed when I decided as a young person to take the Mass seriously. I strongly suggest reading about it and studying it. There is nothing in the Mass that is not “shimmering” with history and meaning. And the Eucharist itself is receiving God, the source and summit of our lives. Try bringing this meditation to your prayer every day, and ask Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, to pray for you to love Jesus in the Eucharist. I’d also recommend reading Scott Hahn’s The Lamb’s Supper, which explains how the Mass is the closest we can get to heaven here on Earth and a foretaste of it.
 
This post might not be helpful in any way.

I remember reading a long time ago that some Byzantine Catholic asserted that Holy Communion is as close to heaven as we can get on this earth. We’re not in full union with God, but we’re close. I then thought about that every single time I went to Communion and it really does touch a person to think that.

But then I got drafted into the choir and there’s no longer any pause to think a bit being in the line because one of the ministers brings it up to the choir loft and gives it to us there. I actually do feel kind of deprived, like it’s a mortification not to quite “be in heaven” the way I used to be. But then, I think about singing being a service to God and to the congregation (or at least I hope so) and I think it’s just something I’m going to have to adapt to better.

But that’s what going to Mass is for me. It’s being in heaven for just a little while, and I always miss it when it’s over. I know now where I belong, and it’s not on this earth. I don’t hate the earth. I love it. But it’s not home. I know that now.
 
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