why communion rails matter

[Windmill]

Originally Posted by TimothyH

Thanks for posting this.

Nowhere did I say that we should not be humble before the creator of the universe nor that we shouldn't give reverence due to the King of kings who invites us into his presence. I should have made that clear, and even though it is really nobody's business, I genuflect before I recieve and do so on the tounge most times. The first time I altar served, I trembled when I approached the altar to purify the priests hands, and after the sanctus I just knelt there shaking, trying not to cry and to breathe.

But many people confuse humility with humiliation. Humiliation is loss of dignity. Humility is knowning your proper place in the order of creation. Real humility, knowing your proper place in relation to God, in relation to creation, and in relation to the other people around you can be incredibly liberating, and dignifying. Humans are the pinnacle of creation and God became man to redeem us, offering his life for us after we went astray. He loved us to the end... to the bitter end, and that means we owe him everything.

But in so doing, he made us a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people of his own, adopted sons, who are invited to share in his divine life. Just like a Roman who was given the great honor of being called "A friend of Ceasar", there is great dignity in being called a son of God and a friend of Jesus the King, and Catholics have the fullness of that sonship and friendship offered to us through our baptism and confirmation.

There is holy pride and great joy on the one hand, and compunction and a deep sense of gratitude on the other hand - and there is a tension between the two sides. As Christians mature, they get to a place where there is a balance between the two. Nothing is more cartoonish than the image of a carefree Evangelical praising Jesus on the streetcorner in a state of extatic joy. Equally cartoonish is the self-hating guilt-trip Catholic who punishes himself with a life lived as if every day were a Friday during Lent. A mature Christian however, smiles when things aren't going too well, smiles when things are going well, is faithful in small matters and let's God take care of the strategic plan, is at peace, and passes through life unnoticed by the world. His is an ordinary life lived well, with great peace and joy.

Groveling isn't part of my life. I choose not to grovel. Jesus loved me enough to die for me and then rose from the dead so that I could follow him to heaven. The Holy Spirit dwells within me. God carried me throught he death of a daughter, drug and porn addiction, and a wife who walked out after seventeen years of marriage. And at the end of it all he sat me down in a beautiful parish, with lots of friends, in his holy Church, and invited me to forgivenss and healing in the confessional and to approach him and recieve him. Why should there not be great joy in that?

And he did it all without a single altar rail.

-Tim-

A good balanced response.

I would conclude my remarks saying that an altar rail is not for groveling at, but a prop that can help many in experiencing that exact humility (not humiliation) which you speak of. However, if the interior disposition is not there, we would both agree that it is vanity.

As far as groveling goes, I agree with you precisely. I would go further and say that if you crawled up the aisle on your knees in this day and age, one may question your vanity since there are so many onlookers and it is so far beyond the prescribed norms and customs.

As far as corporal penance, many of the greatest saints practiced this, but did so privately, so I don't think it can be poo-pooed outright. These saints would have been horrified to know that others knew of their private penances because they were humble saints. If a person decides to take on corporal penance today, that should always be under the direction of a spiritual director to avoid excesses, and it should be between them and God.

Thank you for sharing your own experience as a server. It's good to know you have a healthy idea of order. If everybody in our Church knew the awesomeness of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and the call to holiness and evangelization like you do, we'd convert the world.

[Credo in Deum]

Originally Posted by TimothyH

Thanks for posting this.

Nowhere did I say that we should not be humble before the creator of the universe nor that we shouldn't give reverence due to the King of kings who invites us into his presence. I should have made that clear, and even though it is really nobody's business, I genuflect before I recieve and do so on the tounge most times. The first time I altar served, I trembled when I approached the altar to purify the priests hands, and after the sanctus I just knelt there shaking, trying not to cry and to breathe.

But many people confuse humility with humiliation. Humiliation is loss of dignity. Humility is knowning your proper place in the order of creation. Real humility, knowing your proper place in relation to God, in relation to creation, and in relation to the other people around you can be incredibly liberating, and dignifying. Humans are the pinnacle of creation and God became man to redeem us, offering his life for us after we went astray. He loved us to the end... to the bitter end, and that means we owe him everything.

But in so doing, he made us a holy nation, a royal priesthood, a people of his own, adopted sons, who are invited to share in his divine life. Just like a Roman who was given the great honor of being called "A friend of Ceasar", there is great dignity in being called a son of God and a friend of Jesus the King, and Catholics have the fullness of that sonship and friendship offered to us through our baptism and confirmation.

There is holy pride and great joy on the one hand, and compunction and a deep sense of gratitude on the other hand - and there is a tension between the two sides. As Christians mature, they get to a place where there is a balance between the two. Nothing is more cartoonish than the image of a carefree Evangelical praising Jesus on the streetcorner in a state of extatic joy. Equally cartoonish is the self-hating guilt-trip Catholic who punishes himself with a life lived as if every day were a Friday during Lent. A mature Christian however, smiles when things aren't going too well, smiles when things are going well, is faithful in small matters and let's God take care of the strategic plan, is at peace, and passes through life unnoticed by the world. His is an ordinary life lived well, with great peace and joy.

Groveling isn't part of my life. I choose not to grovel. Jesus loved me enough to die for me and then rose from the dead so that I could follow him to heaven. The Holy Spirit dwells within me. God carried me throught he death of a daughter, drug and porn addiction, and a wife who walked out after seventeen years of marriage. And at the end of it all he sat me down in a beautiful parish, with lots of friends, in his holy Church, and invited me to forgivenss and healing in the confessional and to approach him and recieve him. Why should there not be great joy in that?

And he did it all without a single altar rail.

-Tim-

Thank you for the response Tim; however, I'm a bit confused. Do you see kneeling as groveling? When I read Holy Scripture, kneeling is always used during adoration, thanksgiving, reparation, and petition. Is it possible that kneeling is the sign of humility God asked from us to show that we know our proper place in relation to God?

God Bless

[GraceUnderFire]

Question: I go to both NO and TLM but I feel like at TLM, I do one thing while at NO, I receive in my hand. To be honest, without the patten and being a tall person, I fear that trying to receive on the tongue while standing puts me in danger of the Blessed Host falling on the ground. Any thoughts? Should I stoop down to receive on the tongue?

[maryjk]

Originally Posted by GraceUnderFire

Question: I go to both NO and TLM but I feel like at TLM, I do one thing while at NO, I receive in my hand. To be honest, without the patten and being a tall person, I fear that trying to receive on the tongue while standing puts me in danger of the Blessed Host falling on the ground. Any thoughts? Should I stoop down to receive on the tongue?

You could always kneel at the OF (ordinary form), just like you do at the EF (Extraordinary Form.)

Or simply bend your knees slightly.