1 hr fast before mass = length of mass?

[Leopard]

…I think there is something to be said for the 3-hour rule…

Certainly there is. And that thing to be said is that persons who fast for three hours before receiving Holy Communion are in compliance with the Church’s discipline, just as are persons who fast for one hour.

 

[LilyM]

I, personally, go with the midnight rule. But my parents always held us to the one hour rule.
I think there is something to be said for the 3-hour rule.

Those who are perfectly timing things need to re-evaluate their reception of Our Lord. Those with legitimate needs to eat are the exception.

Like people never eat at 5 minutes to midnight so as not to break the fast? I still know some who eat at 5 minutes PAST midnight on a Lenten Friday!

Or 3 hours and 5 minutes before reception?

Same principles at work no matter what the length of the fast.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I still know some who eat at 5 minutes PAST midnight on a Lenten Friday!

I know people who have the item they have given up for Lent in hand at 1158 Saturday night in order to consume it at midnight.
It’s a question of will and intention.

 

[Brenda_V]

No offense, but I don’t think that is really an (“the”) issue.
Depending on the circumstances, people on medication or having certain health risks can be disposed of certain obligations.

Perhaps it is not the issue in your life but it is in mine . I was that high school student (allergy meds) and went to a Catholic school where thankfully the Church and the school were attached to each other by a short hall so the time from the end of Mass to getting into the classroom was a short walk away (less than 5 mins.) and if Mass was long I was not considered tardy if I had gone to Mass.

BTW, taking a medication that requires a fast in and of itself does not remove the requirement of fasting before Mass so it is a valid concern for someone who would like to attend Mass and who can receive Communion to desire to do so to be able to meet the Church’s fast requirement of 1 hr. before Communion.

This was never a concern for Sunday Mass as I could take my meds. right before Mass, go to the early Mass and then eat breakfast afterwards because I did not have anything I had to do after Mass, this was only a problem for weekdays.

So before anyone decides that the Churches requirement of 1 hr. fast before Communion is a joke, think again. You can voluntarily do the old 3 hr. fast or the older nothing after midnight fast.

Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about the fast and timing it just right anymore as daily morning Mass is at 9 a.m. and I am self employed so I can get up and take my meds (more now and all require some time before eating) and still be able to go to Mass without “watching the clock”.

Brenda V.

 

[agapewolf]

Thanks leopard for the perspective.

I think people here are thinking that the point of the communion fast is to feel hunger, or to feel some sacrifice in some way.

I don’t think thats the point at all. The point is to be mindful of the Mass we are about to participate in. 10 min before Mass, if we are running late and wanting to grab something on the way to eat…well…we can’t. Not because we are supposed to feel hunger pains, but so we are mindful of what is about to happen. Next time, getting up earlier, not being lazy in the morning, or whatever is needed so that we can be more deliberate in our actions in heading to Mass.

Day long (or longer) fasts create the hunger feelings that are a sacrifice. I think the point of the hour long fast before Communion is for a different purpose. Obviously it has to be. This also leads to more people being able to handle going to daily Mass. Many people are able to do midnight fasts, which is great. But not everyone has the ability to do such a thing.

I don’t understand why people want “more rules”. Why can’t we be joyful that our Church trusts us to take our own penance and discipline as our own responsibility. I do not agree that making the fast longer will bring back respect for the Eucharist. That is backwards “discipline”.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I did the 30 hour famine a few years in high school, with my youth group, and it was tradition to break the fast with Mass. And I remember sitting in Mass, looking at Jesus and hungering for him- Spiritually and Physically. And it occurred to me- why am I not always that hungry for Him? What I am I doing wrong that I don’t sit in Mass and just hunger for His Presence?

 

[CrypticWritings]

Perhaps it is not the issue in your life but it is in mine . I was that high school student (allergy meds) and went to a Catholic school where thankfully the Church and the school were attached to each other by a short hall so the time from the end of Mass to getting into the classroom was a short walk away (less than 5 mins.) and if Mass was long I was not considered tardy if I had gone to Mass.

BTW, taking a medication that requires a fast in and of itself does not remove the requirement of fasting before Mass so it is a valid concern for someone who would like to attend Mass and who can receive Communion to desire to do so to be able to meet the Church’s fast requirement of 1 hr. before Communion.

This was never a concern for Sunday Mass as I could take my meds. right before Mass, go to the early Mass and then eat breakfast afterwards because I did not have anything I had to do after Mass, this was only a problem for weekdays.

So before anyone decides that the Churches requirement of 1 hr. fast before Communion is a joke, think again. You can voluntarily do the old 3 hr. fast or the older nothing after midnight fast.

Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about the fast and timing it just right anymore as daily morning Mass is at 9 a.m. and I am self employed so I can get up and take my meds (more now and all require some time before eating) and still be able to go to Mass without “watching the clock”.

Brenda V.

Oh no, I think I was misunderstood…uh, oh!

What I meant was…

I did not think that was something that needed to be factored into the answer posed by the OP.

Does that make better sense?

It is an issue and the Church factored that into her teaching about the fast…that’s all I think I meant…
I always mess things up and I’m soooo misunderstood…argh!

 

[Brenda_V]

Oh no, I think I was misunderstood…uh, oh!

What I meant was…

I did not think that was something that needed to be factored into the answer posed by the OP.

Does that make better sense?

It is an issue and the Church factored that into her teaching about the fast…that’s all I think I meant…
I always mess things up and I’m soooo misunderstood…argh!

Sorry, I did misunderstand you. My post was actually directed at all of those who were saying what a joke the fast was, to the OP:blush:. Your reply to mine was trying to redirect the thread back to topic.

I am usually much better at staying on topic or at least recognizing when I got off topic than this time, the subject obviously hit close to home for me

Brenda V.

 

[tcraig]

I’ve seen several threads on the Eucharistic fast not being “long enough”. Always, there are people who disparage the one-hour time frame, and state that they think it should be longer. Then they will share how they keep a three-hour fast, or from midnight, etc. A lot of those statements seem to reek of spiritual pride.

If the Church has decided that a one-hour fast is sufficient, then it is. One shouldn’t be worried about others, and one definitely shouldn’t start thinking that one is somehow better or more holy for observing a longer fast. I think, sometimes, that more strict observances should be undertaken only under guidance of a good spiritual director.

And to the original question, yes, it’s one-hour from reception of Holy Communion. However, I usually just time it from one-hour before Mass begins as I find that easier and it requires fewer mental calculations.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I’ve seen several threads on the Eucharistic fast not being “long enough”. Always, there are people who disparage the one-hour time frame, and state that they think it should be longer. Then they will share how they keep a three-hour fast, or from midnight, etc. A lot of those statements seem to reek of spiritual pride.

On the contrary, I feel that sometimes these posts can help some of us come up with ways to make it easier to follow longer fasts, if we are called to them. Since the one-hour fast has been mandated, all longer fasts are personal devotion. And, if you notice, we are all fond of sharing our personal devotions, if only to find others who do something like it find ways to better our spiritual practices.

And to the original question, yes, it’s one-hour from reception of Holy Communion. However, I usually just time it from one-hour before Mass begins as I find that easier and it requires fewer mental calculations.

That’s what my parents did with my sister and I.

 

[DJgang]

I am not meaning this to be funny, I am serious…

But I have a horrible habit of not eating breakfast. So, many mornings I would go to church (ECUSA) with nothing on my stomach but a cup of coffee…after communion, before I could return to my seat in the pew, I would have a slight buzz, yep, from one drink of the wine.

So I eat. Or rather, if I didn’t have time to eat, I would just take very little.

I know this probably has absolutely nothing to do with the fasting obligation…but I’m a healthy person and I take no meds…I don’t want to have a buzz in church (even if it lasts only a few minutes)…

 

[tcraig]

On the contrary, I feel that sometimes these posts can help some of us come up with ways to make it easier to follow longer fasts, if we are called to them. Since the one-hour fast has been mandated, all longer fasts are personal devotion. And, if you notice, we are all fond of sharing our personal devotions, if only to find others who do something like it find ways to better our spiritual practices.

Unfortunately, I don’t recall people saying that they do a longer fast out of personal devotion. Usually, they state that they do a longer fast while (1) criticizing the one-hour fast and/or (2) criticizing others who they don’t perceive as fasting “correctly”.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Unfortunately, I don’t recall people saying that they do a longer fast out of personal devotion. Usually, they state that they do a longer fast while (1) criticizing the one-hour fast and/or (2) criticizing others who they don’t perceive as fasting “correctly”.

Sorry- I had hoped when i posted that it came across as my personal devotion. Didn’t mean to criticize others.
I thought that by sharing what I do, it would inspire others, or at least make them go “Oh! Well that’s a good idea!”