Receiving Christ

[Ziggamafu]

Ok. So I don't intend to argue or debate. I'm mostly just going to be asking questions. But I'm sure it will certainly seem like a debate, so i posted here.

Here goes...

Is there ever a time when we shouldn't receive Christ?

I'm having a hard time with Eucharistic prohibitions. And it is precisely BECAUSE i believe that the Eucharist is my Lord. If it was just a symbol, I could see why there would be symbolic rules and regulations about reception. But since it is Christ...well, I just can't see Christ ever denying himself to someone who wants to receive him. In fact, it feels sinful when I don't receive him.

[Brother Adam]

Thank you for asking that is a very good question.

It is precisely because it is a very real sacrifice, that it is Christ's body and blood that regulations have been developed not only to protect the precious body and blood of our Lord, but to protect you as well.

Arguably one of the earliest biblical texts we have on Holy Communion says:

1 Corinthians 11
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

By receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ you are saying:

1) I am in full communion with the body of Christ, the Church (John 15:4-5)
2) I am in a state of grace, I have not mortally sinned and cut myself off from the Lord and thus not in a state where I need reconciliation. (1 Corinth 11:27-30)
3) I am in the right disposition to receive my Lord in the Eucharist. (I.E. I'm not thinking about the football game in the communion line, but have participated actively and fully in the mass and have readied my heart for what I am about to recieve.

Hope this helps!

[robguitar]

Great question and great answer.

I learned something new and it's not even 8:30 AM.

[Ziggamafu]

Ok. I know the regulations and I give my assent. But I don't understand why. It doesn't make sense. And it still feels sinful to "deny Christ", so to speak, by abstaining from the Eucharist.

I don't see how there's ever a time when we shouldn't receive Jesus. But Church regulations about the Eucharist suggest otherwise. When and why can't I receive Jesus when I love him and want to receive him?

I think the crux of my issue is this: if a person has committed a grave sin, but finds himself at Mass before having received absolution, and wants desperately to recieve Christ in repentence for his sin, why can he not offer up this infinite sacrafice on his own behalf? Especially if he has the intent to go to confession when next it is scheduled.

For instance, whenever I've been impure with myself at some point in the week and missed an opportunity for Confession, I've in pain heard the words from the priest, "Look not on our sins..." and in pain recited the words, "Lord, I am not worthy to recieve you"...these two moments especially make me feel like God is calling me to receive Him. And whenever I've been in such a situation and abstained, I honestly feel like I'm sinning. My conscience clearly condemns me.

Of course I believe a person should seek regular Confession. But it a person wants to turn from sin and receive Christ, but hasn't had the chance for Confession yet, I feel like he should still receive the Eucharist.

[Veridicus]

[quote name='Ziggamafu' date='Nov 14 2005, 10:22 PM']
For instance, whenever I've been impure with myself at some point in the week and missed an opportunity for Confession, I've in pain heard the words from the priest, "Look not on our sins..." and in pain recited the words, "Lord, I am not worthy to recieve you"...these two moments especially make me feel like God is calling me to receive Him. And whenever I've been in such a situation and abstained, I honestly feel like I'm sinning. My conscience clearly condemns me.

[right][snapback]789147[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

If you have a genuine understanding of Confession and the Blessed Sacrament, I don't understand why you feel your sinning in abstaining from the Eucharist. The quotes you offered that we pray at every Eucharist help purify us of our venial sins before we come into Communion with the Body of Christ. I've always thought of it as a sort of mini-reconciliation.

"Through the Eucharist those who live from the life of Christ are fed and strengthened. 'It is a remedy to free us from our [i]daily[/i] faults and to [i]preserve[/i] us from mortal sin.'"
CCC 1436

So far as I know however, the Church has called us to seek Confession regularly and to abstain from the Eucharist when our hearts are tainted by mortal sin. This has been the teaching since the Council of Trent in 1551.

"Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received the sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is [i]no possibility[/i] of going to confession."
CCC 1457

So really, I suppose its ultimately between you and Christ whether you are [i]aware[/i] that you've committed a mortal sin and whether you've honestly not had the [i]possibility[/i] to go to confession first. I know in the parishes in my city, most of the priests are willing to schedule private confession during the week outside of the established time for confession if the need is great. Personally, this is an issue I've struggled with because sometimes even with venial sins I feel as though I'm not worthy to share in the Body and Blood of Christ if I haven't participated in Confession first. I don't want my the stain of my own sins to sacrilige the sacrament. If you honestly can't attend a Confession before the Eucharist celebration however, I don't believe it's absolutely necessary to excommunicate yourself from the Blessed Sacrament.

[dspen2005]

you wouldn't be denying Christ. When you abstain from receiving HOly Communion b/c of not being properly disposed you actually recognize and acknowledge CHrist in the Eucharist -- as being so holy, so pure, so perfect in every way that because of your disposition at that time, you are unworthy to receive His Body and Blood. It is actually an acknowledgement of the immense holiness that is present before you; acknowledging the very presence of the Holy of Holies.

[Ziggamafu]

Don't get it. In his earthly life, people in their sins would go up to Jesus because they wanted to receive him - wanted healing for their body and souls - and he would let them receive him. Then he would forgive their sins. I think that you shouldn't take the Eucharist if you are in a current state of mortal sin - you would be spurning God at that point. But if you are repentant about your grave sin and plan on going to Confession, I believe you are in a state of grace. Receiving "unworthily", I think, means not really caring about who you are receiving (just going through the motions) or receiving Christ while refusing to make the effort to give up your sins.

Plus, I don't get how a stand-in for Christ can forgive grave sins if Christ himself himself, if offered up as a sacrifice thanfully and repentantly, cannot. Take what I just said for the point - obviously I believe it is Christ doing the forgiving in Confession, but my point is that in that Sacrament he is acting through someone else.

[MC Just]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Nov 14 2005, 09:21 AM']
1 Corinthians 11
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.

[right][snapback]788272[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]

I take this verse very seriously! I warn people about it all the time.

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

today at mass i went to recieve communion, and my mother who is a cafeteria catholic tried to get up so i said mother do not recieve the Eucharist please you are not in a state of grace, if you do it will offend me, and she actually listened!

it was great


sam

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Nov 27 2005, 03:28 PM']today at mass i went to recieve communion, and my mother who is a cafeteria catholic tried to get up so i said mother do not recieve the Eucharist please you are not in a state of grace, if you do it will offend me, and she actually listened!

it was great
sam
[right][snapback]801664[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]
In the future, you may want to have conversations like that before mass.

[photosynthesis]

[quote name='Extra ecclesiam nulla salus' date='Nov 27 2005, 03:28 PM']today at mass i went to recieve communion, and my mother who is a cafeteria catholic tried to get up so i said mother do not recieve the Eucharist please you are not in a state of grace, if you do it will offend me, and she actually listened!

it was great
sam
[right][snapback]801664[/snapback][/right]
[/quote]
wouldn't it offend the Sacred Heart of Jesus more than you?

[Extra ecclesiam nulla salus]

see i don't think that she would think that it would offend Jesus. we have had the conversation many times but she refused to listen and i had to make it clear.