In Catholic churches we have incense burning at certain Masses - e.g. Christmas, Easter and special occasions. It's nice I suppose and reminds me of ancient traditions when people burnt incense in churches and homes. The wise men, as we know, brought incense to baby Jesus as a gift. Burning incense traditionally was part of worship. The smoke going up to Heaven no doubt took up our prayers with them.
Does your church burn incense during services?
Do you burn incense at home?
The local parish does incense at the usual times. I like it, and recognize the symbolism and other serious things.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably the only member of the family without an impressive collection of chemical sensitivities. They're not allergies, technically, so they're challenging to deal with. They're quite real; but well off the 50th percentile, and that's another topic.
Given our physical limitations, burning incense at home isn't an option. (Insects - I like that.)
It's a beautiful, ancient, and very good practice. But it's also not good for our health. Pity.
Hi Brian,
ReplyDeleteYes ... I did hear that burning incense is not good for health. I wonder if our churches will soon stop the practice; which would be a pity. Here in the UK we have so many Health & Safety laws, and fear of court cases, that sooner or later some bishop somewhere will stop us burning incense.
God bless.
Same with me. My parish does on the special days. My pastor seems to have a particular fondness for it. He seems to put his heart into it. I like it. I've never thought of doing it at home. Wouldn't the smell get into the curtains and furniture fabric?
ReplyDeleteHi Manny,
DeleteOne of the two priests we have in our Parish does like a lot of incense and uses it every Sunday.
At home, sometimes, I use little cones of incense you can get from AMAZON. They make a nice smell but don't get into the curtains or furniture. Just a background scent.
See: https://www.amazon.com/Jeteven-Incense-Lavender-Sandalwood-Fragrant/dp/B0744H1NK5/ref=sr_1_6?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1510396954&sr=1-6&keywords=incense+cones
God bless.
I have respiratory issues, so I would not be able to breathe with incenses. In my search to find a building where people attend to worship our Lord and only true Savior Jesus Christ has ended in disappointment. I no longer search for those buildings.
ReplyDeleteThank you Erika for visiting me and for your comment here. We hope you return here soon.
DeleteI do understand that it can be harmful for people with respiratory issues when churches burn incense. I've noticed some people standing outside for a moment or two in our church when it gets too smoky.
Please do not give up looking for a church that would suit you. We go to church to meet God, to pray and worship Him, and to learn from the readings, sermons and what else goes on there. I agree that some churches and their leaders and congregations may well fall below the standard we expect. But please do not let that stop you going to church. Ignore those there that may upset you. Go to meet and love God.
God bless you.
Yes, my church parish uses incense on different occasions.
ReplyDeleteI also burn incense in the home but not frequently.
In Christ,
Tina
How nice to see you visiting me here Tina. Thank you. Please return again.
DeleteSome churches, like yours, do use incense regularly. Ours a bit more so. We sometimes use incense cones at home.
God bless.
Hi Victor! May our prayers rise above us like incense, like an evening oblation...
ReplyDeleteI do like a little incense, but sometimes I get a little choked up, and not in a good way. I used to use it at home until I just got to sensitive to it.
Blessings,
Ceil
Hello Ceil,
DeleteThat's the problem with confined spaces; often the incense accumulates too quickly. With one of our priests the church is so smoky you can hardly see the altar!!!
God bless.