Recieving The Blessed Sacrament

[dominicansoul]

From what I'm reading here, you believe, you just can't fathom it....

then pray like St. Peter, "Lord I believe! Help my unbelief!"

[mommas_boy]

[quote name='mommas_boy' post='1593220' date='Jul 6 2008, 11:05 PM']Not sure. I think we would agree that a Catholic [b]shouldn't[/b] receive when they [b]don't[/b] believe, but that's not what I understand your question to be asking. You're wanting to know about the gray area in between belief and disbelief.

I recommend speaking with your spiritual director/confessor/pastor about this. I know what I would say in this situation, but I don't want to supercede their advice one way or the other.

Pax Christi,
Kris[/quote]

At the risk of sounding like a parakeet (repeating ad nauseum), I'll go ahead and tell you what I was going to tell you before ...

[size=5]Receive![/size]

Here is my rationale: the graces that you obtain by receiving the Eucharist will only increase your devotion to our Lord. Ask our Lady to come within you so that you may receive Christ as she did at the Annunciation. Ask her to teach you to love Christ as she did, with total submission and faith in the unknown as you receive the Eucharist. Visit our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament at Adoration.

You will not always feel intensity in your faith. This is natural; indeed, it is a good thing, and a sign that God is purifying your love of Him, lest you fall into the trap of loving God only because He makes you feel good. You have written that you have the knowledge, but lack the feeling behind your belief in the True Presence. That is an excellent sign that you are being purified. Continue to receive out of your knowledge, for your feeling will wax and wane in their intensity as God purifies your love of Him.

Pax Christi,
Kris

[Apotheoun]

[quote name='Fr. Bruno' post='1594822' date='Jul 8 2008, 03:57 AM']When the priest presents Holy Communion, he says " Then Body of Christ ", and the one who receives it is supposed to answer " Amen ", which means: " I believe it is ". If one doesn't believe it, well, he shouldn't act as if he did. I'm always embarrassed with people who just say " Amen " sort of half-loud, sometimes you can hardly hear what they are saying... others just don't say anything or " thank you "...[/quote]
In the Byzantine liturgy the communicant does not respond to the words of the priest when receiving holy communion.

[icelandic_iceskater]

what's the difference between knowing and believing?

[rizz_loves_jesus]

With the Eucharist I think they're both pretty much the same thing, but believing is, I think, more emotional. I think it's knowing that the Eucharist is the true Body and Blood of Christ that is most important... believing is nice, but knowing is essential.

[icelandic_iceskater]

where does knowledge leave off and faith pick up?

[Deb]

Faith is when you can't think of anything except how incredible it is that you are in Christ and he is in you. Faith is when you want to receive every single day of your life and to go without is painful. Faith is when you never even question it.

[icelandic_iceskater]

k, thanks