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June 17, 2021Continuing this series on the Precepts of the Church that I began several weeks ago, I would like to consider now to the third precept: “You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season” (CCC 2042). For the purpose of this precept the Easter season in the United States is understood to begin with the first Sunday in Lent and continue through Trinity Sunday.
Recognizing that the Eucharist is the source and summit of divine life for all the faithful, the Church requires that every one of her members receive Holy Communion at least once a year for their own benefit and well-being.
Recall that the precepts of the Church present the “indispensable minimum” requirements for basic spiritual health and growth in love of God and love of neighbor. As with our physical life, so with our spiritual life, we need regular nourishment if we are going to flourish and grow. We need the grace that comes to us through the Eucharist to thrive and grow as disciples of Jesus.
This precept perhaps seems to state the obvious. Most Catholics do not require a precept to motivate them to receive Holy Communion at least once a year. It was not always so. In previous generations there often were long lines at the confessional and very short lines for Holy Communion.
A strong sense of unworthiness before the majesty of God prevented many Catholics from receiving Communion except on very rare occasions. We need Eucharistic nourishment to stay healthy! We always must strive for a proper balance between an exaggerated sense of our unworthiness and guilt on one hand and, on the other hand, a naïve presumption of God’s mercy. We need to receive the Eucharist, but we need to be properly disposed to benefit by it.
Paradoxically, the situation now is reversed from what was common generations ago. With consistent encouragement for frequent reception of Communion more people now regularly receive the Eucharist. It has become rare for someone to attend Mass without receiving Holy Communion.
Unfortunately, fewer people now appreciate the importance of the regular reception of the Sacrament of Penance. A proper regard for these two sacraments goes hand in hand. Devout reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation helps ensure a fruitful reception of Holy Communion. Regular examination of our conscience and confession of our sins help keep alive in our hearts a healthy sense of our unworthiness as well as an appreciation for the unmerited gift of God’s mercy.
The Sacrament of Penance fosters the virtue of humility and repentance without which one ought never to approach the Sacrament of Christ’s Body and Blood. Today, the greater spiritual danger and temptation is to approach the reception of Holy Communion unworthily, that is, in the state of mortal sin, and thereby commit the sin of sacrilege.
There are other things that we can and ought to do to ensure that the Eucharist remains the center of our lives and that our Eucharistic faith and devotion remain strong.
Here are a few:
n We can fast. The required Eucharistic fast of one hour before Communion is a small but important reminder that we need to prepare ourselves properly and intentionally for this encounter with Christ in Holy Communion;
n We can spend time in Eucharistic adoration. Eucharistic adoration, or spending time in prayer before Christ present in the tabernacle or in the monstrance, fosters a deeper hunger and proper disposition for our encounter with Christ in Holy Communion;
n We can embrace prayerful silence. Prayerful preparation and silence before Mass helps us be attentive and create an interior place of welcome for Christ who comes to us in word and sacrament;
n We can dress appropriately for the occasion. The way we dress, with respect and modesty, helps us (and others) acknowledge the presence of Christ in our midst and in the liturgy and sacraments we celebrate.
The second and third precept of the Church, concerning the reception of Penance and Holy Communion, provide a foundation for growth in holiness rooted in the sacraments that Christ has left us as a memorial of his love.
I would like to acknowledge the situation of those Catholics, who because of various circumstances such as being in an irregular marriage, cannot receive the Eucharist or Reconciliation. The Church and our pastors remain very sensitive to this difficult pastoral situation and are deeply concerned for the well-being of these members of Christ’s Body. While these persons may be unable to fulfill these two precepts, it is vitally important that they continue to participate regularly at Mass, and to take their rightful place in the life of the parish.
The Church encourages the devout practice of making a spiritual communion whenever we are unable to receive Holy Communion sacramentally. We became familiar with this practice early in the pandemic when public Masses were for a time unavailable, and we could not receive the Eucharist sacramentally. Spiritual communion involves expressing our faith, hope and love for Christ, and inviting him into our hearts while praying for the grace to be able to receive him fully in the Eucharist at some future time. For those unable to receive Christ sacramentally, this practice can be a source of grace and consolation.