Appropriate attire: Mass is not poker night with your guy pals, it's also not Ladies Night at the local pub... it is Holy Mass... you are attending the wedding feast of Our Lord. Tank tops, sleeveless, strapless, one shoulder ensembles, cargo shorts (shorts on anyone who receives communion is really not appropriate), flip flops, hooker boots, track suit, yoga pants... the list goes on, are NOT appropriate for Mass. Do you remember the phrases Sunday Best, or Church Clothes??? Here's another question for you... would you wear the previously list to WORK? Most likely not, it would be unprofessional, and most companies have a very specific dress code... so if it isn't okay at work, why would a person think it is perfectly suitable to wear during Mass... during the reception of Our Lord, BODY, SOUL, AND DIVINITY!?! It is truly beyond me.
Reception of the Holy Eucharist: Here's what I see in Mas... what I try to block out, why I attempt to cover my eyes with my scarf... people snatching the host out of the EM's hand, sticking one hand out all willy nilly, dropping the host (or causing the EM to drop the host because of no where to place Our Lord), not even paying attention, or acknowledging (proper response... AMEN) the EM/priest/deacon, people walking away with it in their hand and actually consuming it (had a friend next to chase down someone this week, and Daddio has gone after one at another Mass)... YOU CONSUME immediately!
So that is why I think a communion rail would help elevate so many abuses by the laity!
First (and maybe my favorite) it would eliminate EM's! (yay!!!) Next up, proper poster for reception are achieved (on the knees... also exceptionable but frowned upon in the US is to genuflect prior to reception)... hey do you even remember what you are doing up there? RECEIVING OUR LORD! It's not snack time, or intermission! Plus with the acolyte putting the patent under your chin it reinforces the proper etiquette to receive on the tongue!
I'm sure to some Catholics I sound harsh... but I challenge you to really think about what is happening in Mass. Do you really believe that the Eucharist (the Source and Summit of our faith) is truly Jesus Christ, Body - Blood - Soul - Divinity? Do you realize that if you do not believe this, and still take the Eucharist you are committing sacrilege? If you are not participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and receive with serious sin, you are committing an even bigger sin? I'm not condemning you, you are doing it to yourself.
Maybe you lack the knowledge of these things, you aren't well versed in the faith. There's an easy (several actually) remedy for this! Read (the Catechism of the Catholic Church has all the info right there), go meet with your pastor, go through RCIA (you might not need any of the sacraments, but you do need to be taught the faith)... but YOU have to do it. Just because you went through CCD as a kid, doesn't mean you have an adult understanding... you need to learn and understand your faith.
For those who don't believe in the Real Presence (and they've bothered to read up on what the Church teaches and think that 2000 years of wisdom and the Holy Spirit got it wrong)... why are you there? You SHOULD NOT RECEIVE is first on the list... and maybe one of the other 35,000+ Protestant denominations is right for you. No, I don't want to see Catholics abandon their faith, but non-believers shouldn't create more sin for themselves or others...
Are you all in, or not!?! The Catholic Faith isn't a list of choices, you can't pick and choose which parts of the faith are going to make up your profile.
Okay... I think I'm done (maybe)...
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