REVERENCE
No longer bread, but receive the risen Christ!
Sunday Best
Dress like you would dress for the King. It's not about how we feel on the inside, it is about the reality of Christ the King before us.
Can you imagine making this excuse, when turning up for any other VIP person; is Christ not more important?
Think of the events that you go to, that you might wear better clothes for these events than the Mass? Perhaps at work, weddings, baptisms, anniversaries, parties etc...
Some say that Christ does not require it, but if we take some time to contemplate on this, it all comes down to one word - Respect. The King of kings.
Imagine someone very special to you, saying you don't need to dress up, but you do it anyway because you know this person deserves your best.
When you make the effort it is appreciated.
Real Presence: We come to Mass to worship our King, so we dress appropriately.
Can you imagine making this excuse, when turning up for any other VIP person; is Christ not more important?
Think of the events that you go to, that you might wear better clothes for these events than the Mass? Perhaps at work, weddings, baptisms, anniversaries, parties etc...
Some say that Christ does not require it, but if we take some time to contemplate on this, it all comes down to one word - Respect. The King of kings.
Imagine someone very special to you, saying you don't need to dress up, but you do it anyway because you know this person deserves your best.
When you make the effort it is appreciated.
Real Presence: We come to Mass to worship our King, so we dress appropriately.
Genuflections
A tradition of reverence for our King.
In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord (CCC 1378).
In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord (CCC 1378).
Holy Communion - On the tongue while kneeling
What every Catholic profess during the liturgy of the Eucharist:
“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
If we are not worthy to have Jesus enter under our roofs, why are we worthy that Jesus should even touched our hands and not on are knees?
"The thing that makes me saddest is watch people receive Communion in the hand." ~ St Teresa of Calcutta
There is a verse from the Old Testament on the sacredness of the Ark of the Covenant, let alone the Body of Christ. How much does Christ have to bare, to permit Communion in the hands because of His love for us.
"When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God." ~ 2 Samuel 6:7
This is not about what we can or can't do, but what is most reverent, most worthy to God.
If we love Him, why not do what is most reverent.
“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
If we are not worthy to have Jesus enter under our roofs, why are we worthy that Jesus should even touched our hands and not on are knees?
"The thing that makes me saddest is watch people receive Communion in the hand." ~ St Teresa of Calcutta
There is a verse from the Old Testament on the sacredness of the Ark of the Covenant, let alone the Body of Christ. How much does Christ have to bare, to permit Communion in the hands because of His love for us.
"When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God." ~ 2 Samuel 6:7
This is not about what we can or can't do, but what is most reverent, most worthy to God.
If we love Him, why not do what is most reverent.
Standing vs Kneeling
Why stand during and straight after the liturgy of the Eucharist?
"By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone are deliverance and strength.'" All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame." ~ Isaiah 45:23-24
It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.' So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." ~ Romans 14:12-13
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." ~ Philippians 2:9-13
"By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, 'In the LORD alone are deliverance and strength.'" All who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame." ~ Isaiah 45:23-24
It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.' So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." ~ Romans 14:12-13
"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." ~ Philippians 2:9-13
Humility
"Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." ~ James 4:10
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 18:1-4
“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” ~ Matthew 18:1-4