I have had these random thoughts through the years but have become more poignant as of late. There is grave danger in approaching faith and worship of God with emotional response. The great Cathedrals, Statuary, Stained Glass, the liturgy of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are all MEANT to evoke emotions in those that view them. That is most definitely part of the point of doing them. I myself have discovered a great stirring of emotion as I have begun to attend the mass of the Traditional Latin Rite.

The danger is not in experiencing those emotions or having a experience in general, but in making that a criterion for validation or refutation of ritual or practice. The mass is no less valid as a sacrifice of Christ, his presence no less real merely because you or another present "felt nothing".

This is one of major errors the reformations evolutions has wrought upon Christianity, that you must have an experience for it to be valid or that one service (say snake handling) is obviously more "Christian" as you felt the "spirit" there like you never felt it before. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit does not descend upon us, does not invoke experiences in variou ways, but that no where in tradition or scripture is there a litmus test for being "more Christian" or a more worth "sacrifice" based on the individuals experience.

If you discard that which you don't initially have experiences through you will likely be depriving yourself of many graces or possibly falling into complete heresy as you concoct a "special order" faith practice that only encompasses that which moved you initially.

This is why i believe that tradition itself is so important. Tradition is the great filter of truth for everything. There are specific rituals, prayers and practices that have developed in the body of Christ through the centuries for very specific reasons. This doesnt also mean there are not many different paths to approach Christ. Some are more hermetic and austere, others more active and interactive with the world at large. As we are each created with different strengths, weaknesses and temperments the saints have created these different paths to better suit us individually. We are also called to different paths and must also be aware that while we may not have in our previous life been very contemplative or able to sit still God may be calling you to that life or practice and vice versa.

The Emotional filter is why megachurches are so popular. You do have a emotional response to the large venue, rockstar like productions, but they just processed sugar spirituality. A quick boost where you leave the "church" with a emotional high that lasts for hours, perhaps days, but as you come down you wish to have that feeling again, leading you back to their pulpit and credit card swipes. Now its not "bad" that a church wants you to return but traditional practices of daily prayer, rosary, chotki, contemplation are what sustains one through both the highs, but especially the lows.

Sometimes things happen in our lives, whether its a job loss, breakup, death, etc. Sometimes God also removes his graces upon us. This is well documented with many Saints that as a part of their sancitfication and forging in the fire of God, grace is removed and the feelings of surety & energetic exhaltation seem to dissapear, sometimes slowly, sometimes overnight.

ITS IN THESE TIMES THAT TRADITIONS OF RITUAL, PRAYER AND CONTEMPLATION SHOW THEIR TRUE SUPERIORITY OVER PROCESS SUGAR SPIRITUALITY.

This is when all those years of ritualistic prayer help. This is when you just have to put in the work. When the demons are telling you youre too tired, just skip tonight, a friend calls with an opporunity or hangout, the movie youve been dying to see is available right now...thats when you have to put in the work. Surrender yourself to God. Fall on your knees, open your liturgy of the hours, prayer books or move those beads in your fingers in prayer to him.

Our worship is in part for us, for our benefit, but in true orientation to the divine we must recognize it is ABOUT WORSHIPPING THE MOST HIGH. Its solely because he is not only worthy of our praise but it is a celestial requirement to do so. He is due our worship, that is why we worship.