Responding to "I just don't get anything out of the mass"? - Page 2

clem456 · #16 May 14, '12, 11:27 am

If he's a philosophical type, ask him if he believes God's existence, presence, and action in the world depend on his perceptions. emotions, and approval. If he says yes then God depends on him for affirmation. That's a problem with pride.

There is not a "good" Mass or a "bad" Mass, the Mass simply -is-. How much stimulation he receives is irrelevant. That being said, liturgy directors should attempt to conduct relevant music and pastors give inspiring homilies, congregations should be welcoming etc...but all that does not change the realities of the Mass.

InnocentFortune · #17 May 14, '12, 8:03 pm

Truth be told I dread going to mass. If I show up at all I'm late. I don't "participate", can't stand the uninspiring modernist sermons, assuming I even get one because the "children's sermon, I make a break for the door when the start passing out communion. I just absolutely can't stand it.

I take this opportunity to rant as to why. I already mention the bland, hippie modernist sermons. The music is terrible, folksy kumbaya garbage complete with guitars and tambourines. The people are all dressed for the beach. Sports jerseys and flip flops. Now that its getting warm I can expect daisy dukes on 13 year girls. The priest regularly makes a spectacle out of the mass. Using a theatrical voice and waving the consecrated species around for our entertainment. I am regularly taught what a generation ago would have been heresy: universalism, evolution, etc.

The whole debacle is just not what my faith tells me it is supposed to be. The true sacrifice of the cross. It is a marxist folk party and I just can't wait until its over.

Man, it feels good getting that off my chest.

Angel Bradford · #18 May 15, '12, 10:42 am

Archbishop Fulton Sheen was often asked to explain why we go to Mass. People say that Mass is boring, they don’t get anything out it, or it’s a waste of time.

Sheen’s response: “If you don’t get anything out of Mass, it’s because you don’t bring the right expectations to it.”

juno24 · #19 May 15, '12, 11:00 am

I know when I was a teen and used this very same line, I could not express exactly what I meant at the time. However, looking back, I can honestly say that what I did not "get" was any understanding. Despite having gone to CCD, I did not understand the Mass. Intellectually, I suppose I knew what the books said was going on was probably happening, but it did not resonate with me. I did not have the deeper understanding of Christianity in general, Catholicism specifically, or the Mass. I certainly did not understand what "we have the real presence of Jesus" truly meant. It was not until I became an adult and decided to find out what Catholicism was really about that I developed that understanding. I no longer look to "get something out of Mass", but since I have developed a more worshipful attitude, I do, indeed, get a great deal out it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by k5thbeatle

I was talking to a friend the other day who told me his eldest child has converted to Mormonism because "He would go to mass but said he just wasn't getting anything out of it"! I have heard this "...not getting anything out of it" before and am always a little perplexed? What are they looking to get, entertained? More social interaction? What? I mean we have the real presence of Jesus what more could there be?

But my question here is how do you respond to people who bring up this "I don't get anything out of the Catholic mass" argument/excuse? It seems to be a fairly common excuse?

Angel Bradford · #20 May 15, '12, 11:31 am

Mass is about God, it is about hearing words written by human hands but inspired by the Holy Spirit; it is about Jesus Christ becoming flesh for us, giving his body and blood for us in the Eucharist; it is about seeing God in one another.

So, if you go to be entertained, you’re going to be disappointed. If you go to feel good about yourself, that might happen. But every Mass will not will be an emotionally-uplifting, joy-filled celebration of what’s going right in your life. But if you go expecting to glimpse the presence of God, well then you should be able to do that. The Mass helps us to see and hear, taste and touch the very presence of God. And our faith tells us it is easier to glimpse God here in this sacred place than in the busy-ness of our lives.

We go to Mass because we are a hungry people, hungry for meaning in our lives; we’re looking for direction, guidance, strength to persevere and wisdom to know how to make right decisions. We go to Mass because we need some silence in out lives, we need to be able to listen to God’s voice, and not do all the talking ourselves. We go to Mass because we are not perfect and we need to hear Christ’s words of forgiveness – we need to remember that God loves us no matter what. We go to Mass to turn our attention to God, to spend some time not thinking about ourselves, but to glimpse the divine.

As we go forward to receive the body and blood of Christ, we can look around and see everyone else doing the same thing. God came to save not just me, but each and every person in this church and every person throughout the world. When we go to Mass, we see God’s presence in each member of the body of Christ, people who are hurting and broken; blessed and loved. We see God’s presence in people we know and love, but also in strangers and even in the people we have a hard time loving.

We come together as a community because we need to be reminded that I am not the only Christian in the world. As different as we all are, we are all searching for the same God. The community reminds us of that. And when we come to Mass, we hope and pray that we glimpse the presence of God in this place – in the scripture, in the Eucharist, and in one another.

And THAT is why we go.

clem456 · #21 May 15, '12, 11:38 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by InnocentFortune

Truth be told I dread going to mass. If I show up at all I'm late. I don't "participate", can't stand the uninspiring modernist sermons, assuming I even get one because the "children's sermon, I make a break for the door when the start passing out communion. I just absolutely can't stand it.

I take this opportunity to rant as to why. I already mention the bland, hippie modernist sermons. The music is terrible, folksy kumbaya garbage complete with guitars and tambourines. The people are all dressed for the beach. Sports jerseys and flip flops. Now that its getting warm I can expect daisy dukes on 13 year girls. The priest regularly makes a spectacle out of the mass. Using a theatrical voice and waving the consecrated species around for our entertainment. I am regularly taught what a generation ago would have been heresy: universalism, evolution, etc.

The whole debacle is just not what my faith tells me it is supposed to be. The true sacrifice of the cross. It is a marxist folk party and I just can't wait until its over.

Man, it feels good getting that off my chest.

Thanks for sharing your experience of the Mass.
What do the parishioners around you experience at the Masses you are attending?

OraLabora · #22 May 15, '12, 12:05 pm

I'm not too certain you can explain faith to someone without faith, and clearly this person doesn't have faith in the Blessed Sacrament.

You could try prayer though, and it wouldn't hurt to explain what the Sacrament does for you. Because the blessed Sacrament is the principle element that one "gets" 'from Mass, even the most perfunctory and sloppily-celebrated Mass.

Cathryn · #23 May 15, '12, 12:36 pm

If a Catholic believes they don't get anything out of Mass they need to have the grace of conversion, a turning of their heart to God, and a desire for eternal life. The purpose of the Mass is to help us get to heaven. They need to keep going to Mass, confess their sins, and beg God to increase their faith.

CCC #162 Faith is an entirely free gift that God makes to man. We can lose this priceless gift, as St. Paul indicated to St. Timothy: "Wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting conscience, certain persons have made shipwreck of their faith."
To live, grow and persevere in the faith until the end we must nourish it with the word of God; we must beg the Lord to increase our faith; it must be "working through charity," abounding in hope, and rooted in the faith of the Church.

VeritasLuxMea · #24 May 21, '12, 10:22 pm

I don't see why everyone is so against fellowship... it's an important thing.

MissRose73 · #25 May 22, '12, 5:27 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by VeritasLuxMea

I don't see why everyone is so against fellowship... it's an important thing.

I am not against fellowship. But if the coffee and doughnuts after Mass are the only thing you look forward to after Mass, then your priorities are messed up. We should be welcoming to people before and after Mass, that is part of fellowship no matter if its something like holding a door for someone or moving over a bit for a single person to sit next to you in the pew.

MotoCatholic · #26 May 22, '12, 6:51 am

From my personal experience, I can say without a doubt that for most of my life so far I had absolutely no idea what Mass was really about. I grew up Catholic, went to CCD classes, got confirmed, went to Mass occassionally.........and I knew a bit more than absolutely nothing about Mass or my faith. Who's fault? The parish? Priest? Parents? probably 80% me. But the other 20% is where we need to focus.

Again, from my own perspective, my "reversion" to the Church has been simply amazing. I wish I would have done this 30 years ago, but I'm thrilled that it's happening now. It has focused me squarely on the beauty of the Church, the catechism, our Catholic history, and the Mass. It's caused a profound change in the way I see all of these things. Now, I almost couldn't care less where I attend Mass (almost), I just want to go to Mass. I almost couldn't care less about the "social" aspects of the parish (almost, and I admit I have a bit of a personality fault here). I have a long, long way to go, but I want to go to Mass-I want to know Christ better.

I know I'm making a generalization here, but I've felt this for a long time. I see around me, in my local parish, in my old parish, in our local Catholic school.........a lot of people that don't seem focused at all on what the mass really is - probably don't even know. A lot of people that seem unaware that Catholicism is, in part, an ACTIVE seeking of Christ. I am often in a situation where any direct talk of Christ or "The Lord" seems to make other Catholics uncomfortable. I really think the direct connection to Christ, through the Church, is all but missed by a lot of people. They miss the point completely. So mas becomes.......a bore.

We need to understand and fix this problem. I pray that we can and will. It's the cause of, and the answer to, a lot of problems in the Church - and in the world.

St Donatus · #27 May 22, '12, 7:00 am

I have been away from the Catholic Church for 35 years. I went to Catholic school during Vatican II during the changes and remember the Latin mass. It was beautiful and despite my young age, it seemed to make sense. I felt Gods presence. As I got older and the removal the the Latin mass and many other historically catholic traditions, I noticed a change in the way the adults were acting at mass. There seemed to be much less reverence for the church, the altar (now facing front), suits were changing to shorts and t-shirts, etc. Holy things were no longer the cross I had blessed by the priest but the shoes that were worn out and needed to be thrown away like the statues in our church. Over the next few years I noticed families getting divorced (if I still saw them at church at all). I joined the youth teen group and one priest hypnotized my brother to help him quit smoking, played the guitar for us, and showed little respect for the church or its teachings. I went to another teen youth group and listened to the priest tell us that prayer doesn't work and he knew from experience since is male 'friend' died despite his prayers. Then the pastor of the church ran off and married a nurse. What happened to my mother church? At about 18 I decided to leave and look for some place that God was worshipped, honored, respected, loved, and held in reverence. I looked until I became an agnostic.

Finally about a year ago I started listening to Catholic radio and found the Catholic church again. Doing You Tube searches about the Catholic church, I came across a video of the Latin mass. I watched it and felt Holy Spirit literally wash over me. I hadn't seen a latin mass since i was 7 years old and had grown up with the modern mass, but it was the first time I felt that way since I was 7 years old. I said I have to get to mass again but my wife is VERY apposed to the Catholic church. I finally got the guts to go to church. It was the new mass, and having studied the importance of the Eucharist, the meaning of Jesus literal body and presence in the church, I was very excited. What I found when I walked in was just like I remembered as a teen. That reverence, respect, holiness of the mass was not there. It was like going to a protestant service but without the entertainment and emotions. Just 'boring'. Sorry, it is true. Next week I am driving an hour to go to a TLM mass. I have been watching the YouTube 'mass', just so I get something. I know it has no real value but it is spiritually helpful for me.

All I know that since the changes in the Catholic church, it has fallen into crisis, child abuse, 90% of nuns leaving, churches closing, Catholic divorcing, Catholics joining protestant religions, priest shortages, the nuns that remain are in open rebellion, sects splitting off from the church, monasteries and convents closing, etc. I think that until we bring back the traditional church and practices, those that have existed for at least 1500 years, the Holy Spirit will continue to be restrained in the church.

clem456 · #28 May 22, '12, 7:17 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by St Donatus

I have been away from the Catholic Church for 35 years. I went to Catholic school during Vatican II during the changes and remember the Latin mass. It was beautiful and despite my young age, it seemed to make sense. I felt Gods presence. As I got older and the removal the the Latin mass and many other historically catholic traditions, I noticed a change in the way the adults were acting at mass. There seemed to be much less reverence for the church, the altar (now facing front), suits were changing to shorts and t-shirts, etc. Holy things were no longer the cross I had blessed by the priest but the shoes that were worn out and needed to be thrown away like the statues in our church. Over the next few years I noticed families getting divorced (if I still saw them at church at all). I joined the youth teen group and one priest hypnotized my brother to help him quit smoking, played the guitar for us, and showed little respect for the church or its teachings. I went to another teen youth group and listened to the priest tell us that prayer doesn't work and he knew from experience since is male 'friend' died despite his prayers. Then the pastor of the church ran off and married a nurse. What happened to my mother church? At about 18 I decided to leave and look for some place that God was worshipped, honored, respected, loved, and held in reverence. I looked until I became an agnostic.

Finally about a year ago I started listening to Catholic radio and found the Catholic church again. Doing You Tube searches about the Catholic church, I came across a video of the Latin mass. I watched it and felt Holy Spirit literally wash over me. I hadn't seen a latin mass since i was 7 years old and had grown up with the modern mass, but it was the first time I felt that way since I was 7 years old. I said I have to get to mass again but my wife is VERY apposed to the Catholic church. I finally got the guts to go to church. It was the new mass, and having studied the importance of the Eucharist, the meaning of Jesus literal body and presence in the church, I was very excited. What I found when I walked in was just like I remembered as a teen. That reverence, respect, holiness of the mass was not there. It was like going to a protestant service but without the entertainment and emotions. Just 'boring'. Sorry, it is true. Next week I am driving an hour to go to a TLM mass. I have been watching the YouTube 'mass', just so I get something. I know it has no real value but it is spiritually helpful for me.

All I know that since the changes in the Catholic church, it has fallen into crisis, child abuse, 90% of nuns leaving, churches closing, Catholic divorcing, Catholics joining protestant religions, priest shortages, the nuns that remain are in open rebellion, sects splitting off from the church, monasteries and convents closing, etc. I think that until we bring back the traditional church and practices, those that have existed for at least 1500 years, the Holy Spirit will continue to be restrained in the church.

These problems are not because of Vatican 2. This is a cultural war in which the Church is at war with the enemy. It's easy and neglectful to blame Vatican 2 for these problems. The answers are much more difficult and require committment beyond what we find traditional and comforting. People also no longer wear suits and ties to baseball games, is V2 resopnsible for that? So called traditional ideas are being assaulted from all sides in all areas of our culture, not just in the Church pews. Vatican 2 did not cause these problems. I challenge anyone on these forums to get a copy of Vatican 2 and actually read the documents. It is obvious that so many have not actually read the documents, but simply grab on to an easy scapegoat for the world's problems. The teaching of the Church is our greatest asset against a culture run amok, and it is trashed non-stop by some, to the detriment of the Church and it's mission.