I've been to many masses in my day, and I've noticed something. People, including myself, tend to just say the prayers of the mass. It becomes rehearsed, memorized, boring.
Take a second. Think about what you are saying...
"I believe in..."
"Thy will be done..."
"pray for us sinners..."
"Peace be with you."
Do you mean these things? Do you just say them because you are supposed to?
I've caught myself just saying the words because it was time to. It was that part of the mass, or that part of the prayer meeting, where I am supposed to say something. It's a terrible thing to notice. Wait, wait, what did I even say? Oh snap I didn't even realize those words came out of my mouth.
It's times like those I need to redirect my attention back to the prayers that I am saying. I need to take a second, remember where I am and pay attention to the words that are coming out of my mouth. I need to not only pay attention to the words I'm saying, but I need to MEAN WHAT I SAY! I need to realize that the prayers I am saying are part of my faith, and reciting them is important to my faith. It is important to believe what I am saying.
Next time you are praying, take a second to pay attention to what you are saying.
Good post :) For my entire life I said the creed without actually understanding what I was saying. Then I came to Franciscan and took a theology class and I was like O.o so that's what it means. I never took the time to think about it.
ReplyDeleteThanks :) and I totally get you! sometimes you just have to take a second and figure out what something means because let's be honest, we didn't all grow up memorizing the catechism! :P
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