Comments on Intentional Disciples: If I Am LIfted Up

Anne:You raise a good point. There is a reason wh...

2008-03-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

Anne:

You raise a good point. There is a reason why Christ is present to us in many ways in the Church - through the Eucharist, through the Scriptures, through the community (including the communion of saints), personal prayer, the charisms, etc..

And I suspect that many of us feel guilty or like bad Catholics because although we believe in all the Church teaches, we don't experience relationship with God the way we think we should or are supposed to.

Some will find it hard to encounter Christ through the Scriptures but find Adoration intensely meaningful and nourishing and for others, it is the opposite.

We are disciples together but there is lots of room for a wide variety of spiritual experiences and paths within the one faith. We need to stop judging ourselves because we are not like our friends or people we admire and stop judging others because their relationship with Christ is nourished in a different way.

I'm glad you addressed the issue of certain people...

2008-03-06T07:24:00.000-07:00

I'm glad you addressed the issue of certain people not feeling anything in the presence of the Eucharist, even though they believe. I've wondered if there is something wrong with me because I was never able to relate to Christ in the Host as I prayed in the adoration chapel at my church, but could only relate to the Christ of the Bible as I prayed and read Scriptures. Nor did I ever sense that it changed my life in any way.
This was my experience over many months. And I am a middle aged adult, not a child. Those who do have a moving experience are very blessed indeed!

Hanna:Not everyone "feels" the presence in a direc...

2008-03-05T15:40:00.000-07:00

Hanna:

Not everyone "feels" the presence in a direct, tangible way so that it bowls them over when they cross the threshold as it did me even though I had no mental categories for what I was experiencing, no believing Catholic to ask about it, and didn't actually grasp Catholic teaching on the subject until years later.

In fact, I would say that kind of experience is very much a minority experience - and a small minority at that. Although there are other stories I could tell you

Many others need to have someone explain it to them and would find the simple explanation of their Catholic friends or Catholic parishes intriguing. Or are touched by the silence and peace or the music, or seeing lots of other people pray or hearing from a friend about how Adoration has changed their life. Or the experience of praying themselves before the Eucharistic Christ and perhaps having their life changed by the answer.

Whatever happens, it is a direct, accessible encounter with Christ in the midst of his Church.

I don't think there is anything wrong or mysterious with your children's response. Very young children have very short attention spans anyway. They will pick up their faith in the Real Presence in good time from you and others around them.

That's a good idea and I agree.I can't get enough ...

2008-03-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

That's a good idea and I agree.
I can't get enough of adoration stories.

But in my own life I bring my very young kids into adoration and they won't stay but a minute. I don't think they discern His presence in adoration or mass and I wonder why.

Hannah
hana10134@yahoo.com