Eucharist: May 2009 Archives

For some reason--and we can all make our own list as to why--many Catholics have gotten away from the sacrament of Confession. I know my own sense of grace and sin sends off an alarm when I receive Holy Communion with mortal sin on my soul. My conscience gets the best of me as I think of Saint Paul's warning that receiving the Eucharistic Lord with sin on the soul: to do so is at one's own peril. Avoiding Confession is imprudent, that is, not good at all because one ignores reality, a life with sin squeezes out grace, one ignores the fact of Jesus' love for me personally and mercifully and our humanity is reduced. Some theologians and commentators will say that the Eucharist is forbidden Food if one receives the Eucharistic Lord with mortal sin on the soul. Saint John-Mary Vianney had strong thoughts about the subject:

St John-Mary Vianney2.jpg

"How many have the temerity to approach the holy table with sins hidden and disguised in confession. How many have not that sorrow which the good God wants from them, and preserve a secret willingness to fall back into sin, and do not put forth all their exertions to amend. How many do not avoid the occasions of sin when they can, or preserve enmity in their hearts even at the holy table. If you have ever been in these dispositions in approaching Holy Communion, you have committed a sacrilege. It attacks the Person of Jesus Christ Himself instead of scorning only His Commandments, like other mortal sins." Vianney would also say that receiving Holy Eucharist with sin on the soul "crucifies Jesus Christ in his heart."

Those of us who claim to have a conscience would not be pleased to hear from Saints Paul and John Vianney that by receiving Communion unworthily have worked out our condemnation. Saint John-Mary Vianney was not a saccharine man, was he?

About the author

Paul A. Zalonski is from New Haven, CT. He is a member of the Fraternity of Communion and Liberation, a Catholic ecclesial movement and an Oblate of Saint Benedict. Contact Paul at paulzalonski[at]yahoo.com.

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This page is a archive of entries in the Eucharist category from May 2009.

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