It happens to me also sometimes when I see the Passion recreated on television. It is involuntary, as I rarely cry. The death of my son was the only time I can recall significant crying since the death of my Mom in 1984 and the death of my Dad in 1991. Anyone else experience this?
Tears of Joy
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
In 2001 after a 3-day retreat at Marytown in Libertyville Illinois, I experience the sweet tasting tears of Joy just after receiving the Holy Eucharist. At that moment I knew that my redeemer lives and that my life would change. A new man and a new life emerged from that retreat. I’m forever grateful to the mother of God for her putting her trust and faith in me to be her unworthy instrument in these 23 and 1/2 years. To Jesus Through Mary.
In school, we do First Friday devotion and Adoration. One of the things I remind my students of is the fact that we have a tangible and miraculous reminder of our own redemption gazing upon us from that monstrance.
Every year some kid will ask why I am Catholic (sometimes seriously, sometimes snarkily), and the next time we have Adoration – I point to the Monstrance and say THAT’S why.
Because God knows I don’t stay in the Church because of its marvelous leadership and courageous shepherds.
I used to get emotional at Mass in my youth, especially when I was experiencing difficulties in life and felt at my lowest. But raising kids and supervising them in Church has forced emotions aside and replaced with practicality. I do however still get emotional when I see anything relating to Our Lady witnessing her Sons passion with acceptance. I feel very small.
Beautiful Post Donald, especially your honesty and the honesty of all the faithful here.
It’s been a while but I got particularly teary-eyed one time listening to Beethoven’s Missa Sollemnis, the Credo, the “Et ascendit in caelum” section. In fact, that whole part, beginning with “Et resurrexit,” which is virtually “shouted” by the tenors as though by the voices of the Angels, up to the “cujus regni non erit finis,” where “non” is repeated several times, higher and higher, until the “Trinity” motif thunders from the brass again. Sounds tedious the way I’ve described it, no doubt, but it is really a masterpiece of the Faith embodied in music.
(Translations for those who might desire them:
“Et ascendit in caelum”: “and He ascended into heaven”
“Et resurrexit”: “And He rose again”
“Cujus regni non erit finis”: “Of Whose kingdom there shall not be an end”)
Kind of getting choked up writing about it, not gonna lie!
hand up Eucharist.
The Diocese of Arlington VA has distributed a series of large posters that describe Eucharist miracles through the ages. Many are displayed on easels in the church’s vestibule. After reading about the miracles with pictures of bleeding hosts how can one deny Transubstantiation.
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