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To: Aggie99
Catholics also seem to ask for forgiveness a whole lot more than at least Lutheran and Methodist (not being sarcastic here, though it could come off that way) - and this seems to drive people to just go through the words and motions during the service (thank goodness for the little book, by the way, else I'd be lost).

Anything pre-planned can be done by rote and lose its meaning. That is the fault of the churchgoer, not of the service.

We do tend to emphasise where we fail because we want to approach the Sacrament and the Sacrifice only after taking an honest account of our selves. We live out through the Mass the entire human story of sin, repentence and redemption. We tell the whole story, not just the good parts. We don't teach that our actions are irrelevant once we "get saved," so we are naturally more cognizant of our shortcomings and our need to repent and ask forgiveness.

We know forgiveness is to be had if we repent, but we never act like it is owed us. That would be taking it for granted. Our language should reflect our humble and grateful stance at being gifted with the Sacrifice that redeems the world.

As for modern language, I know the Methodists approved recently one communion service that removed the pre-communion "Lord I am worthy for you to enter under my roof..." prayer because the thought it made people feel bad before communion, instead of feeling good about themselves.

Catholics don't go to Church to affirm how good they feel about themselves. They go to affirm that they are unworthy, and only God's Gracious Gift makes us any different.

SD

72 posted on 06/16/2006 10:50:08 AM PDT by SoothingDave
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To: SoothingDave

-- Catholics don't go to Church to affirm how good they feel about themselves.---

I wish someone would tell that to the music directors and song composers....


75 posted on 06/16/2006 11:10:32 AM PDT by Knitting A Conundrum (Act Justly, Love Mercy, and Walk Humbly With God Micah 6:8)
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To: SoothingDave

"Catholics don't go to Church to affirm how good they feel about themselves. They go to affirm that they are unworthy, and only God's Gracious Gift makes us any different."



Any Church that has "making people feel good about themselves" as it's stated or unstated mission is preaching a false Gospel and is a false religion.


Any churchgoer who goes to church with the objective of "feeling better about themselves" is not seeking to know the true and living God.


80 posted on 06/16/2006 11:59:03 AM PDT by PetroniusMaximus
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