Conference lgp30::christian-perspective

885.0. "Spiritual Experience" by JUPITR::HILDEBRANT (I'm the NRA) Wed Mar 23 1994 10:03

   I thought that I would enter this note, since , for me it was significant,
and this year will be the 10th year anniversary.

                             **Spiritual Experiences**

   When I was a college student in 1970, I pretty much left the Roman
Catholic faith and for that matter, any faith. As the years went by, I 
became married, settled down, and started a family. I slowly started to go
back to Catholic service, but, didn't receive communion (had too many
years of no church). When my son was ready to make his first communion
and first confession, I knew that I had to come to grips with my
religion too. 
   After much thinking, I decided to go to the priest for confession and
rejoin the Catholic faith so that I could receive communion. Now, confession
had changed quite a bit since I had last gone. Previously, confession was
a popular event where you often saw many people. Confession was needed to
remove any sin. Over the years, the church relaxed the rules, so that
confession was needed for "big ones". As such, the number of people dropped
off.
   When I went to confession that fate full day, I brought my son along with
me for moral support. The church was empty, except for the priest in the 
confessional. Upon entering, I told the priest that it had been 13 years
since my last confession ( the confessional procedure is rather fixed in the
way you confess your sins. Most people use to be 2-3 weeks from their last
confession). I heard movement by the priest as he straighten up! I went on to
confess to him the need in my life for Christ. I guess that you could say I
reaffirmed my belief in Christ as my Savior, or asked to be saved. The 
confession went on for awhile....I think that I made the priests day!
  The interesting part was to follow on Sunday. During the Mass, the priest
takes a large wafer, and during a certain part, he breaks the wafer into large
pieces and places in the chalice. Since there are many people in attendance,
the chalice contains performed wafers that most people get. The small number 
of the hand ripped pieces usually go to the first people getting communion,
i.e. the altar boys, deacons, etc.
  On the Sunday following my confession, I went to receive communion. As such,
with many people present, lines are formed to receive. After quite a number
of people had received communion, it was now my turn. Old habits are hard
to break, so I knew what to do...but...when the priest looked at me
and said "Body of Christ" their was a gleam in his eye, and I had one of
the larger hand ripped piece from the wafer used during the service!
  Never happened again to me...ever, after many many times into communion.
Always seemed like Gods hands were there, saying "here...lets make this
a little special".

I have know reason why this came to me today. It just seemed that I needed
to write it.

Marc H.

    Thanks for sharing your special experience with us, Marc.
    
    I have a few times received a section of the fractured Eucharist
    and each time I've thought it to be special too. 
    
    Peace,
    
    Mary

I agree, Marc.  Thank you for sharing that.

Peace,

Jim

    ER: .1 & .2
    
    You are welcome.
    
    Marc H.

    .0  Thanks, Marc.
    
    Richard
    

    Thank you Marc.
    
    That was touching.
    
    
    Patricia