Frequent communions are balanced with frequent confessions. Right? Using logic, you would think so. Virtually everyone at the Masses I go to receives Communion, yet there are very few who ever go to Confession. Sin and breaking the Eucharistic fast are the two barriers to receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion. Since it's almost impossible to break the lax Eucharistic fast, people who stay in their seats are most likey presumed by others to either have a lack of piety or to be in a state of mortal sin. That can create social pressure to make a sacrilegious Communion.
Before the abolition of the Eucharistic fast, one who did not receive most likely had not kept the Eucharistic fast, and those who did receive must have thoughtfully prepared themselves for it by remembering to go without food in preparation of receiving Our Lord.
The habit of routinely receiving Communion without frequent confessions is prevalent everywhere I have been, and I believe it can show more piety and respect for Our Lord to stay in your seat during Communion than it does to go up and automatically receive when you haven't been to confession in a while.
For Lent, I hope that everyone who reads this will commit to a three hour fast prior to receiving Communion.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
.JPG)
Posts
7 comments:
That is a very good idea!
Great Idea...
You can do even better than that and fast for 10-12 hours: just get up at 06:00 for Mass at 07:00; then you won't have time to eat anything before Mass. It's a snap!
That is if you have access to a 7 AM Mass. We only have one Mass on Sunday, and it's at 10 AM. Still, though, I often fast until after Mass. It really helps me to focus on the reality of the Holy Sacrifice.
That is if you have access to a 7 AM Mass. We only have one Mass on Sunday, and it's at 10 AM.
What about daily Mass? (That's really the one that needs to be at 07:00, for those of us who have to be in to work at 08:00.)
Our daily Mass is at 9AM three days a week and at 7PM three days a week. No problem doing an overnight fast for the 9 AM Mass, but I wouldn't really want to do it for the 7 PM. I'm just sayin' it might be a little bit hard!!!
Thank you for your comments on my Holy Card Blog.
I loved hearing this suggestion about extra fasting before receiving the Eucharist. A great idea for Lent. Thank you for my Lenten goal.
Post a Comment