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The National Black Catholic Congress
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IS YOUR COMMUNION HOLY?
By Author Fr. Minimus

When you meet together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal, and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

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. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.

That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we should not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are chastened so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

(I Corinthians 11:20-32, Revised Standard Version)

One of the great concerns I share with many of my brother priests centers on the cavalier manner in which some of the faithful approach Holy Communion today. Given our Catholic belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is really, truly, substantially present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, one would expect that this great gift would be handled with the greatest care, reverence, and devotion by each and every practicing Catholic. Alas, that is not always the case. In the reflection that follows, I would like to draw attention to a few things that must be taken into consideration when we as Catholics place ourselves before the Lord Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Eucharist and prepare to come forward if indeed we have been truly "called to His supper."

A QUESTION OF FAITH

The first issue that comes to mind is a matter of faith. What does the Catholic in the pew believe about the Eucharist? Over the last decade, many studies have been conducted and polls taken which sometime show that an alarming number of people who identify themselves as practicing Catholics do not have an authentic understanding of the Eucharist.

When asked about the nature of the Eucharist, many respond with a position that is taken from \Protestant teaching and theology, namely, that bread and wine are merely symbolic of the presence of the Body and Blood of the Lord. God forbid that this error should continue! Catholic belief and teaching on the Eucharist is as clear today after the Second Vatican Council as it has been in the past. The following footnotes from the 2002 Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion Under Both Kinds of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are illustrative of this:

The numeric references in the footnotes are to relevant teachings of the Ecumenical Council of Trent.

It is to be noted that the Church has very careful guidelines about the reception of Holy Communion and non-Catholics. These can be found on the U. S. Bishops' website at: http://www.nccbuscc.org/liturgy/q&a/mass/communion.shtml.

If a Catholic is to properly receive the Lord in Holy Communion, he or she must first believe and understand Whom (not what) he or she is receiving. Holy Communion is an encounter with a Person, the God-Man, Jesus Christ, under the appearances of bread and wine. It is not a symbolic act, it is a person-to-Person encounter, nothing could be more real!

FOUR CATEGORIES OF CONCERN

Even with proper belief in the Eucharist, there are still other concerns about the proper and worthy reception of Holy Communion, although erroneous beliefs about the Eucharist contributes greatly to unworthy treatment and reception of the Lord Jesus in Holy Communion. These concerns can be grouped together based on some commonalities. While it is true that the following categories of concern are not all on the same level, nonetheless, all should be taken seriously when we examine the manner in which we approach the Lord's Sacred Banquet.

ROUTINE INDIFFERENCE

The first category includes people who regularly fail to observe the Eucharistic Fast. Since 1964 the Church's norms require those choosing to receive Holy Communion to fast for one hour prior to the reception of Holy Communion. At a typical Sunday Mass, this means that simply refraining from eating or drinking anything other than water (the consumption of medicine, or food required due to a medical necessity is exempted) before Mass begins would satisfy this requirement, yet how often it is that people who faithfully attend Mass every Sunday, also faithfully come to Holy Communion having just consumed candy, mints, chewing gum and similar items? Sometimes one can see these items or their residue in the mouths or on the tongues of the communicants as they come forward. Though this may seem to be a rather small and insignificant item, there is a larger point. The purpose of the fast is to show reverence for Him Who is about to nourish us with His own flesh and Blood. The fast is a small act of denial which should focus our attention during the Mass upon Him Who speaks in the Liturgy of the Word, Who offers Himself in sacrifice at the consecration, and Who makes us one with Him in Holy Communion. Unless there is a medical necessity, can we not deny ourselves just a little in order to heighten our awareness of this precious gift?

Also to be included in this category are those whose need to socialize extends even to the Communion line. While it is true that fellowship is an important aspect of Christian life and worship, it does not mean that any moment of the Mass is an appropriate time for the exchange of greetings. The Mass already has a moment designated for the Kiss of Peace! Those in the Communion line should be resolutely focused on the Lord Jesus through prayer. They are about to make the great profession of faith: The Body of Christ! AMEN!!! This act should be preceded and followed by an intense and interior conversation with Jesus. After Mass there will be more than enough time to catch up with family and friends who have also just become Tabernacles, temples of the Blessed Sacrament!

DROP-INS

The second category includes those whose Sunday Mass attendance is sporadic or erratic, or those whose Sunday worship habits places them in any given denomination's house of prayer on any given Sunday. A Catholic is bound by the law of the Church to assist at the Celebration of the Eucharist on every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation. To willfully miss Mass when no serious reason exists (such as illness, the care of a seriously ill person, or moral impossibility, i.e. while traveling and finding no place where Mass is celebrated) is to be guilty of a serious sin which precludes one from receiving Holy Communion until one has been reconciled through the sacrament of penance.

There are many "drop ins"-people who drop in on the Lord a few times a month, or a few times a year-who receive Holy Communion whenever they show up, as if it were just another part of the ceremony. This is not appropriate! The Third Commandment (Remember the Sabbath and keep it Holy) is of Divine origin. The Church, with the power to loose and to bind (cf. Mt 16:19), has specified the minimum required to fulfill that Commandment. Catholics must assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every Sunday. No other celebration, especially "Church in the home", can take the place of the Mass.

The saying often repeated, "We all worship the same God" may be true in most of the alternative places of worship a "hop-scotch" Catholic may attend, but we do not all worship in the same way. It is precisely because of our Catholic belief that the Mass is the true sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, a re-presentation of the sacrifice on Calvary, and that it is His Body and Blood that we receive in Holy Communion, that nothing can be substituted for the Holy Mass. Again the above-referenced document of the USCCB states:

Hence, worthy reception of Holy Communion requires faithful attendance at and participation in the Holy Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.

CONFESSION-WHO, ME?

The third category includes those who have committed isolated acts of serious sin that have not been confessed in the sacrament of penance. Closely connected with the afore-mentioned laments of my brother priests concerning the proper reception of Holy Communion, is the wholesale abandonment of the sacrament of penance by many who consider themselves practicing Catholics. Jesus gave His Church seven sacraments, and one of them involved the conferral of the power to forgive sins. The Gospel of John, 20:23, gives a crystal clear scriptural witness to this truth. If one were to look at the numbers of Catholic not going to confession, one might be led to think that sins have stopped being committed. However, another look at the relationships, families, homes, and society will quickly reveal that sin is still very much alive and destroying as many or even more lives as ever.

Integral to being a Christian, a disciple of Jesus, is the possession of a deep and abiding sorrow for one's sins and transgressions. Integral to sorrow for sin, is the desire for reconciliation and conversion. The sacrament of penance is the ordinary means through which this forgiveness, reconciliation, and amendment are bestowed. Thus, a faithful, practicing Catholic must regularly bring his or her sins to the Lord Jesus in the sacrament of penance. Sin, especially serious or mortal sin, is the primary reality that makes Communions unholy, or Sacrilegious. Why sacrilege? Sacrilege is the desecration of something that is inherently holy. By its very nature, the Eucharist is always Holy. It is Jesus Christ, Himself. But when we receive Jesus unworthily, or in the words of St. Paul quoted above: 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. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. Any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.

Therefore, we must examine our consciences before we approach the Lord in Holy Communion. For example, if a person has been involved a serious verbal or physical altercation out of selfish reasons, saying and/or doing intentionally hurtful things to another, then that person needs to be reconciled through confession before returning to Holy Communion. If a person is guilty of stealing (including those who cheat on their taxes), the confession and commensurate restitution is required before returning to Holy Communion. If a married person is guilty of the sin of adultery or other sins contrary to the marriage vows, then confession is required. Couples who have had recourse to in-vitro fertilization or surrogate parents must be reconciled through the sacrament of penance before returning to Holy Communion. Those who have had themselves sterilized through tubal ligations, vasectomies, and similar procedures must be sacramentally reconciled first before returning to Holy Communion. If unmarried persons are guilty of fornication or other sexual acts alone or with others, confession is required. Those who engage in homosexual acts must confess before receiving Holy Communion. Students who cheat on exams, children who lie and initiate fights, those who are guilty of self-abuse through the use of illegal substances or the excessive use of legal substances, people who resort to pornography in all its various forms, Internet, magazines, movies, risqué shows; all these must confess first before returning to Holy Communion. People who are guilty of acts of cruelty to another human being or to animals need to be reconciled first. Those who have any part in the procurement of an abortion must be reconciled through the sacrament of penance. If one is guilty of slander or detraction, seriously injuring the reputation or good name of another through gossip, then the sacrament of confession is required before returning to Holy Communion.

This list is not exhaustive by any means, but it gives some idea of the kinds of things each of us must look at within ourselves to make sure that we are worthily approaching the Lord to receive Him in Holy Communion. In all these cases a genuine acknowledgement of the sinfulness of these actions and a true sorrow for them manifested in repentance must accompany the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation.

HABITUAL SINS/PERSISTENT STATES

The fourth and final category I will consider includes those who are afflicted with habitual sins and those who are in persistent states that bar them from Holy Communion. There are some people who are afflicted with habitual sins. They are fully aware of the sinful acts to which they are inclined. They accept and acknowledge them as sinful, they also are aware of their inability to completely overcome these sins presently. Moral theology teaches that habituality can lessen the moral freedom of an act-remember that for a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met; grave or serious matter, knowledge of the sinfulness of the act, and full consent of the will. In the case of habitual sin, though every individual act may not be a mortal sin, it is still necessary that the person afflicted in this manner regularly (as much as weekly if necessary, certainly monthly) receive the sacrament of penance. The sins should always be confessed and the assistance of a spiritual director should be sought to help the person become free through the grace of the sacrament of penance, the Holy Eucharist, and a life of prayer and sacrifice.

Those who are in a persistent state are the ones who cannot approach Holy Communion until that persistent state is removed. The first example of this would be people who are in a marriage not recognized by the Church, usually due to a prior marriage by one or both of the parties in the current marriage that has not be declared null and void by the Church. As long as the first marriage is recognized as valid, then those in a second marriage cannot approach Holy Communion. This is often a very difficult situation because in many cases, existentially, the valid marriage was a very unhappy situation, while the second marriage may be a far more agreeable and loving union. In these difficult cases, rendered far more difficult when children have been born to the union, it is necessary for the Catholics involved not to lose hope. First, as is their right as members of the Church, they should seek to have the prior marriage(s) examined and reviewed by the Church. If a declaration of nullity is not forthcoming, the Catholic should continue to persevere in the practice of the faith, praying fervently for the Lord's grace to intervene so that at some point a full reconciliation to the Church might take place. This places a special burden on the Catholic and the relationship, but the truth of the faith is so important a gift that it is worth living under these constraints. Even though a worthy Eucharistic Communion cannot be made, the Catholic in this situation can still be united to and benefit from the graces which flow from the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Lord on the altar.

The second example of this would be those who are co-habitating. When a man and a woman live together as if married, without the spiritual benefit and blessings of marriage, they place themselves outside full communion with the Church. If people in this state are to be able to receive Holy Communion worthily, this situation must be remedied in one of two ways; either the persons must regularize their situation by getting validly married in the Church, or they must cease living together and cease sinful relations with each other. They cannot co-habitate and worthily receive Holy Communion simultaneously.

A third example would be those who have embraced an active homosexual lifestyle either with one person or with multiple persons. As long as one is engaging in sexual acts outside the bond of the Sacrament of Matrimony-a union of one man and one woman, one cannot worthily receive Holy Communion.

A fourth example would be married couples who reject the Church's teaching prohibiting artificial contraception and use such means to prevent conception. These couples are called to prayerfully reject such means and to embrace responsible parenthood in conformity with the moral law by embracing Natural Family Planning for legitimate reasons. Sacramental reconciliation is necessary for worthy reception of Holy Communion.

Again, this list is not exhaustive, but it includes some of the major persistent states. Those who would like to pursue this further should consult the document of the U. S. Catholic Bishops, Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper.

"O Lord I am not worthy"

Holy Communion is our most precious gift from the Father; it is the gift of His Son to us as our food and drink, our spiritual nourishment which perdures unto life everlasting. I have attempted to address spiritually unhealthy behavior and trends that have become all to common in the Church today. As I stated above, this is not an exhaustive treatment, but it should help some to examine how they approach this Holy Sacrament.

In addition to the categories treated above, there are other related topics that should be brought to mind that affect our manner of receiving Holy Communion. For instance, many parishes Churches have lost a sense of prayer before the celebration of Mass. In many parishes, it is impossible to pray quietly in preparation of Mass due to the chatter, choir rehearsal and other busy-bodiness that goes on.

Another issue is the decline in standards of modesty and appropriateness in dress. The extremes which really need to be avoided are excessive casualness in dress and immodest dress. The Mass is a truly important event.

People who dress up to go out to party (and often, to sin), but throw on anything to come worship the Lord, show contempt to Him, of Whom the psalmist sings, Worship the Lord in Holy attire (Ps 29:2), and of Whom the Chronicler writes, When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, "Give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures for ever" (2 Chr 20: 21).

Far worse are those whose dress is not only wholly unsuitable for Divine Worship, but against Christian decency, lacking in respect for the body, and designed to lead to sins against chastity. Those guilty of this are guilty of scandal, for the true definition of scandal is the act of leading another to sin. Slaves to modern fashion will find themselves enslaved by something far worse. Servants of Jesus Christ think of Him first as they prepare to come to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. They dress for the Lord with worship and praise in their hearts and on their minds.

In the passage quotes at the beginning of this reflection, we see that care for the proper celebration and reception of this gift has marked the consciousness of the Church since its infancy. St. Paul's concerns back then are not much different from our concerns today. These should not only be the concerns of the pastors of the Church. They should be the concerns of each and every Catholic, beginning with how they apply to him- or herself! When we say "Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…," we should mean it. We show that we mean it when we allow Him to "Say but the word" in the sacrament of penance. When our souls are healed through this sacrament of mercy and healing, then our Communions will indeed be Holy Communions, pleasing to the Lord, and a pledge of Eternal Life!