A new experience

NanaR

Last Wednesday evening I attended a Catholic mass for the first time in my life. Being raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I rarely ever saw the inside of another church (maybe the occasional wedding or music recital), but Catholic churches were particularly off limits.

I am now exploring my spiritual horizons. I have several good friends who are Catholic, one who is newly converted Catholic. I decided I wanted to find out more about this religion.

First thing I noticed was that Catholics do not go to church to talk to each other, they go to church to talk to God. They begin praying the minute they enter the door of the sanctuary.

I found the service, with its sung and unified prayers and rituals, to be a very moving experience. When the time came for communion, my friend said, "You can stay in your seat. Or you can go to the front and ask the priest for a blessing (by crossing your arms over your chest and bowing slightly)". I thought, I'm here so I might as well experience what I can. So I went to the front.

I can't describe the feeling I had when the priest touched my forehead and said, "The blessings of the Lord Jesus be with you now and always." It was an amazing feeling.

I've been digesting this experience for the past week. It has made me think about how, my whole life, I was taught to categorize people: in the truth, out of the truth, good association, bad association, opposed, apostate, weak, disfellowshiped, disassociated, etc. etc. ad nauseum. We read scriptures like "Judge not that you be not judged" and then they were dismissed with, "This means that we do not judge any person's final outcome with God". But there certainly WAS a lot of judging going on...

And this man whom I had never met, who had probably never even seen me before, who certainly knew NOTHING about me, called down a blessing for me JUST BECAUSE. JUST BECAUSE all it really takes is TO ASK.

"Ask and it shall be given. Knock and it shall be opened." Doesn't say anything about some committee of old men having to decide that you're good enough for God to bless you.

God decides.

No, I'm not jumping into joining any church right now. I'm still searching and trying to decide what to do about my spiritual life.

But I don't believe that I have ever felt unconditional love before last Wednesday. And that has to mean SOMETHING.

*SMILES*

NanaR

gordon d

I think that if you've grown to the point where you can even step foot in a Catholic church, let alone actually appreciate some of the experience, You're gonna be JUST FINE!

I hope you can find a spiritual home and a spiritual family... it can be so incredible!!!

Balsam

The quest for spiritual freedom just feels so good. I go to a Presbyterian church and though I don't believe in the bible literally I find the services satisfy the need for the link with the divine. I feel connected to a community that satisfies me and I feel connected to the Divine as I know it.

Enjoy it feels so darn good.

Balsam

fullofdoubtnow

Nana, I am so happy for you!

I'm not surprised an experience like that made such a lasting impression on you after the type of meetings you've been used to as a jw. Being shown unconditional love takes a little getting used to, does it not?

I personally haven't yet felt the need to explore other religions, but the important thing for me is that I am free to do so if I wish. No one is going to drag me in front of a jc for going to a church.

bebu

I found the service, with its sung and unified prayers and rituals, to be a very moving experience. When the time came for communion, my friend said, "You can stay in your seat. Or you can go to the front and ask the priest for a blessing (by crossing your arms over your chest and bowing slightly)". I thought, I'm here so I might as well experience what I can. So I went to the frontI can't describe

I can't describe the feeling I had when the priest touched my forehead and said, "The blessings of the Lord Jesus be with you now and always." It was an amazing feeling.

I was raised Catholic, and was unaware of this blessing alternative. What a nice option for those who are not Catholics, who want to participate.

bebu

OOOPs. Edited to add: WELCOME to the board! And that was a very interesting post!

NanaR

I think that if you've grown to the point where you can even step foot in a Catholic church, let alone actually appreciate some of the experience, You're gonna be JUST FINE!

Thanks Gordon :-)

I know it has taken me a long time to get to this point. I hated the feeling of never being quite good enough; that feeling impacted my whole life.

I appreciate the privilege of being able to read and comment on this board. I don't want the whole rest of my life to be about who I WAS, but it is important to know that there are others who can understand where I've been because they've been there too.

*smiles*

Ruth aka NanaR

fullofdoubtnow

I just spotted that it's your birthday today, Nana so......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

HAVE A GREAT DAY.

NanaR

The quest for spiritual freedom just feels so good

Yes, Balsam, it does :-)

After living my entire life on the principle of "enduring" the present for "paradise", I am now living my life with a view to both enjoying it and HELPING OTHER PEOPLE in a concrete fashion. When I was growing up, we had a dear Baptist neighbor lady who lived 2 doors down. When the neighbor between us (our next door neighbor as well as hers) lost her husband, the Baptist lady "adopted" the elderly neighbor; that is, she checked on her at least twice a day, she took her food, etc. Now this wasn't easy as the elderly lady was very cantankerous and could be exceedingly rude and never once said thank you. And the elderly neighbor lady DID NOT go to the same church (I don't think she went to any church at all). But our Baptist neighbor just ignored all that and continued helping until one day she was the one who found the old lady dead.

In all that time, my JW parents never did ONE THING to help the neighbor.

Who do you think was demonstrating "fruits of the spirit"?

But WHY did it take me SO LONG to be able to see these things in their proper context?

I don't really know, but I am so glad to now be FREE TO THINK CLEARLY.

*smiles*

Ruth aka NanaR

NanaR

Being shown unconditional love takes a little getting used to, does it not?

Yes, it does!

A dear friend of mine used to say "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear". I don't know who he was quoting, but I am starting to believe what he said.

There is so much good in the world. It's going to be fun looking for it.

And I'm finding teachers everywhere :-)

Ruth aka NanaR

NanaR

I was raised Catholic, and was unaware of this blessing alternative. What a nice option for those who are not Catholics, who want to participate.

The lady who took me is a newly converted Catholic. I don't know if this is a new thing, or just something that a "cradle Catholic" might not be aware of.

WELCOME to the board! And that was a very interesting post!

Thanks Bebu!!

*smiles*

Ruth aka NanaR

A new experience

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