Ritualistic Responses

Religious Post

One of the many reasons some Catholics are turned off by the Church is because of the ritualistic experience of praying. we have been attending Masses most of our lives. and with no major changes in the way the Mass has been celebrated (for some born after Vatican II, there have been no changes at all!), we have memorized each and every prayer/response. we can say and recite them so automatically, and quite unfeelingly.

i used to feel that way a lot (or unfeel that way. hehe). i still do. i have and still sometimes do 'mouth' those responses. But on occasion, i try to be all-present during the Mass and try to comprehend the responses and prayers even as i recite them. and as i do, i catch myself asking about the meaning, the context, the purpose of the response. and when i have found a suitable explanation, the statements just come to life for me, just like how a 3D puzzle portrait at first seems just meaningless. and then the figure just jumps right at you, as your retina gets the 'groove'!

after saying the Lord's Prayer, i sometimes wonder about our plea that He should Deliver us from evil. Am i about to be "delivered to evil" because of my inherent evil nature? and i ask that He deliver me from that path?

Then the priest intones Deliver us from every evil and grant us peace in our day..... (in a later part) Look not on our sins but on the faith of Your church...

Prevent us from going there, Lord. But even as we sin so often, judge us not by that but by our faith in You, our faith that You will deliver us, redeem us. I like this part much. It humbles me and makes me realize that even as I try to do good, i should always feel that He has done so much more for me. and that just by believing in Him will I truly be saved. Again, that "pay it forward" concept!

And this little rationalization has helped me be a bit more conscious of the words that i speak, even if i have memorized them from verbatim.

a blessed holy week to you