Can someone explain to me why you do not turn your back to the altar when you are leaving the service especially if you are walking down the center aisle?
what is the purpose of the altar? having an altar implies that there is a sacrifice being made. our sacrifice is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself for us. so how can we turn our back to Him or the altar which He is placed on? and btw its not just if you are walking down the center isle.. any time you leave the altar you should not turn your back towards the Sacrifice.
yes, u can walk sideways if u like, but it's disrespectful to walk forwards with yr back to the altar during the service. after the priest has said the prayer at the end it's ok.
wow... so if i'm in the first pew and need to walk allllll the way back to go the restroom, i should walk backwards and look like a freak??? when i don't even mean to disrespect God, but only to go to the bathroom???
[quote author=grace08 link=topic=9350.msg115465#msg115465 date=1276473677] It's more important not to turn our back on God in our everyday life (outside of church) by doing things that are sinful and displeasing to Him.
Walking sideways/backwards or whatever way you chose means absolutely nothing. It's the condition of your heart that God looks at.
This is true, but that does not give you the excuse to turn your back on the alter. This excuse is always said so people can do whatever they please. Its not important to fast, God wants the heart, its not important to attend church, God wants the heart, its not important to this and that, God wants the heart. Yes God wants the heart, but within reason that does not excuse you from turning your back to the altar.
[quote author=jydeacon link=topic=9350.msg115472#msg115472 date=1276481929] [quote author=grace08 link=topic=9350.msg115465#msg115465 date=1276473677] It's more important not to turn our back on God in our everyday life (outside of church) by doing things that are sinful and displeasing to Him.
Walking sideways/backwards or whatever way you chose means absolutely nothing. It's the condition of your heart that God looks at.
This is true, but that does not give you the excuse to turn your back on the alter. This excuse is always said so people can do whatever they please. Its not important to fast, God wants the heart, its not important to attend church, God wants the heart, its not important to this and that, God wants the heart. Yes God wants the heart, but within reason that does not excuse you from turning your back to the altar.
I couldn't agree more, and remember that this whole not turning your back thing is not about the heart at all. It's a sign of reverence and not a condition of the heart.
We are called to be obedient, and this means adopting the practices which we are taught, and submitting ourselves humbly to others. If we are not obedient then our hearts will not be right with God. If we are obedient then we have done no more than is our duty and cannot be proud. But obedience is a necessary foundation for spiritual growth.
[quote author=srvntofGod link=topic=9350.msg115454#msg115454 date=1276437862] wow... so if i'm in the first pew and need to walk allllll the way back to go the restroom, i should walk backwards and look like a freak???
If we visited any of the Kings and Queens, or Emperors and Empresses of olden times we would never turn our back on them, and would be likely to be executed if we did. It would be a gross mark of dishonour.
Since everyone should be avoiding turning their back on the altar during the Liturgy no-one should look odd for doing so. Rather the person who walks with their back to the altar should look odd.
[quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=9350.msg115471#msg115471 date=1276481197] You can hold it in. I know you can. Usually, if one has been fasting, you are dehydrated and not prone towards bathroom breaks.
I think if churches didn't have mirrors in their bathrooms, that overactive bladder would magically heal and no one would have to go to the bathroom again during the liturgy.
[quote author=TITL link=topic=9350.msg125783#msg125783 date=1293726130] [quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=9350.msg115471#msg115471 date=1276481197] You can hold it in. I know you can. Usually, if one has been fasting, you are dehydrated and not prone towards bathroom breaks.
I think if churches didn't have mirrors in their bathrooms, that overactive bladder would magically heal and no one would have to go to the bathroom again during the liturgy.
Just an idea for all the priests out there ;)
well...i do not think that is an issue for us guys....at least i hope not.
This one priest would always tells us that it takes 2 hours for fluids to move from our stomach to the bladder to be disposed of. if we have been fasting for 9 hours then there is no reason to go to the bathroom if you went after you woke up.
also another priest (who refers to his cell phone as the devil) always says to NEVER leave church if your phone rings; even if you are on call or something. the devil is the one who makes "your mom" text you during liturgy even though she knows where you are. he even wanted to put this thing in our church that blocks all cell phone signals so that people dont have their phones ringing during service and they dont run up the aisles to answer their "important" phone call.
its only 3 hours max. we are all big boys and girls and we dont need to go to the bathroom or leave the church for any reason because it is God's time.
There is no reason for a phone to ring in the liturgy. Certainly there is no reason for it to happen to anyone twice. If a person really has to be on call then there is silent mode.
If some one, or group of people, kept letting their phones ring then I would insist that they were all turned off, and would even say - if it were habitual and not an accident - that the person could not recieve communion since they were not willing to devote their attention to God.
You are not allowed to have a mobile turned on in a cinema, how much more in the liturgy.
[quote author=Father Peter link=topic=9350.msg127162#msg127162 date=1295205451] There is no reason for a phone to ring in the liturgy. Certainly there is no reason for it to happen to anyone twice. If a person really has to be on call then there is silent mode.
If some one, or group of people, kept letting their phones ring then I would insist that they were all turned off, and would even say - if it were habitual and not an accident - that the person could not recieve communion since they were not willing to devote their attention to God.
You are not allowed to have a mobile turned on in a cinema, how much more in the liturgy.
Father Peter
one of the fathers in my church actually used to take phones away from people (old and young) that rang during liturgy because he thinks its really obnoxious. he stopped though :-\
Comments
hope i helped
please pray for me and my weakness
Father Peter
Walking sideways/backwards or whatever way you chose means absolutely nothing. It's the condition of your heart that God looks at.
It's more important not to turn our back on God in our everyday life (outside of church) by doing things that are sinful and displeasing to Him.
Walking sideways/backwards or whatever way you chose means absolutely nothing. It's the condition of your heart that God looks at.
This is true, but that does not give you the excuse to turn your back on the alter. This excuse is always said so people can do whatever they please. Its not important to fast, God wants the heart, its not important to attend church, God wants the heart, its not important to this and that, God wants the heart. Yes God wants the heart, but within reason that does not excuse you from turning your back to the altar.
[quote author=grace08 link=topic=9350.msg115465#msg115465 date=1276473677]
It's more important not to turn our back on God in our everyday life (outside of church) by doing things that are sinful and displeasing to Him.
Walking sideways/backwards or whatever way you chose means absolutely nothing. It's the condition of your heart that God looks at.
This is true, but that does not give you the excuse to turn your back on the alter. This excuse is always said so people can do whatever they please. Its not important to fast, God wants the heart, its not important to attend church, God wants the heart, its not important to this and that, God wants the heart. Yes God wants the heart, but within reason that does not excuse you from turning your back to the altar.
I couldn't agree more, and remember that this whole not turning your back thing is not about the heart at all. It's a sign of reverence and not a condition of the heart.
We are called to be obedient, and this means adopting the practices which we are taught, and submitting ourselves humbly to others. If we are not obedient then our hearts will not be right with God. If we are obedient then we have done no more than is our duty and cannot be proud. But obedience is a necessary foundation for spiritual growth.
Father Peter
wow... so if i'm in the first pew and need to walk allllll the way back to go the restroom, i should walk backwards and look like a freak???
lol
Since everyone should be avoiding turning their back on the altar during the Liturgy no-one should look odd for doing so. Rather the person who walks with their back to the altar should look odd.
Father Peter
You can hold it in. I know you can. Usually, if one has been fasting, you are dehydrated and not prone towards bathroom breaks.
I think if churches didn't have mirrors in their bathrooms, that overactive bladder would magically heal and no one would have to go to the bathroom again during the liturgy.
Just an idea for all the priests out there ;)
[quote author=ilovesaintmark link=topic=9350.msg115471#msg115471 date=1276481197]
You can hold it in. I know you can. Usually, if one has been fasting, you are dehydrated and not prone towards bathroom breaks.
I think if churches didn't have mirrors in their bathrooms, that overactive bladder would magically heal and no one would have to go to the bathroom again during the liturgy.
Just an idea for all the priests out there ;)
well...i do not think that is an issue for us guys....at least i hope not.
This one priest would always tells us that it takes 2 hours for fluids to move from our stomach to the bladder to be disposed of. if we have been fasting for 9 hours then there is no reason to go to the bathroom if you went after you woke up.
also another priest (who refers to his cell phone as the devil) always says to NEVER leave church if your phone rings; even if you are on call or something. the devil is the one who makes "your mom" text you during liturgy even though she knows where you are. he even wanted to put this thing in our church that blocks all cell phone signals so that people dont have their phones ringing during service and they dont run up the aisles to answer their "important" phone call.
its only 3 hours max. we are all big boys and girls and we dont need to go to the bathroom or leave the church for any reason because it is God's time.
If some one, or group of people, kept letting their phones ring then I would insist that they were all turned off, and would even say - if it were habitual and not an accident - that the person could not recieve communion since they were not willing to devote their attention to God.
You are not allowed to have a mobile turned on in a cinema, how much more in the liturgy.
Father Peter
There is no reason for a phone to ring in the liturgy. Certainly there is no reason for it to happen to anyone twice. If a person really has to be on call then there is silent mode.
If some one, or group of people, kept letting their phones ring then I would insist that they were all turned off, and would even say - if it were habitual and not an accident - that the person could not recieve communion since they were not willing to devote their attention to God.
You are not allowed to have a mobile turned on in a cinema, how much more in the liturgy.
Father Peter
one of the fathers in my church actually used to take phones away from people (old and young) that rang during liturgy because he thinks its really obnoxious. he stopped though :-\