Denying Eucharist, Why?

[rianredd1088]

Ok, here is my question, why do we deny the body and blood of Jesus Chirst to sinners? Jesus didn’t deny his body and blood to his disiples(sp?), and they were sinners, he didn’t make them go to anything like confession. Also, didn’t Jesus come here for sinners, then why would we deny him to sinners. Isn’t the body and blood of christ healing? Wouldn’t it heal these people? I dont want a debate i just want an answer.

 

[Slow_Burn]

rianredd1088:

Ok, here is my question, why do we deny the body and blood of Jesus Chirst to sinners? Jesus didn’t deny his body and blood to his disiples(sp?), and they were sinners, he didn’t make them go to anything like confession. Also, didn’t Jesus come here for sinners, then why would we deny him to sinners. Isn’t the body and blood of christ healing? Wouldn’t it heal these people? I dont want a debate i just want an answer.

First of all, only those in a state of mortal sin are commanded not to take Communion. And that’s not just some human authority speaking, those are the inspired words of St. Paul (“Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 11:27. And, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgement upon himself.” 1 Corinthians 11:29). Those not in a state of mortal sin are not barred from the Eucharist. This command not only protects the Precious Body and Blood from profanement (if that’s a word ), but protects the individual from committing yet another mortal sin; that of sacrilege. Once one has confessed those mortal sins, they are then permitted to partake in the Sacrament.

Also, it is the responsibility of the individual to abstain from the Sacrament when they realize they are steeped in mortal sin. Since the priest cannot know this (unless it is a public issue, and even then it is a sticky issue; see John Kerry vs. The Catholic Bishops), they are not “denying the body and blood” as you have stated. If one wishes to partake in the sin of sacrilege, that is their prerogative. Free will gives us the possibility. But St. Paul makes it quite clear why it shouldn’t be done and the consequences of said actions.

 

[baltobetsy]

Slow Burn:

protects the Precious Body and Blood from profanement (if that’s a word ),

Don’t you just hate it when you can’t think of the word? The word you want here is profanation.

Betsy

 

[TeAmo]

Anyone who promotes abortion (such as a politician who votes for pro-abortion legislation) incurs an automatic excommunication, thus separating themselves from the Body of Christ. Since the Eucharist is what unites us, for such a person to receive is, effectively, a lie. By their actions, they are saying that they are a part of the Body when in fact they have separated themselves. That’s why the individual should have the honesty to refrain from Communion.

I guess I would also like to make it clear that there is a great danger of scandal in a situation like this, not only for people in our day, but for future generations as well. The Catholic Church teaches that abortion is murder. Why would we allow someone who supports murder to be seen as a member in good standing with the Church? It sends the implicit message that to promote abortion is ok.

Picture this situation: you’re a Catholic living in Nazi Germany. A prominant member of the party is a parishioner at your church. He says publicly that he supports concentration camps and supports the right of the state to eliminate them. “The state has a right to choose,” he says. “I’m personally opposed to concentration camps, but I believe that the state has a right to have them.”

Imagine the scandal if your pastor allowed this man to continue to receive the Eucharist, not to mention the sacrelige! I’m sure that you’ve heard about the Church’s alleged “silence” during World War II. It’s caused a great deal of scandal in our own day (without considering whether it’s true or not, that’s a separate issue). We are supposed to learn from past mistakes.

Also, Slowburn addressed the issue of sacrelige. The necesity of avoiding sacrelige is the most important point of all.

 

[Dr.Colossus]

Anyone who promotes abortion (such as a politician who votes for pro-abortion legislation) incurs an automatic excommunication, thus separating themselves from the Body of Christ.

That’s not entirely true. Anyone who procures and abortion incurs latae sententiae excommunication. However, those who support abortion do not. This is not to say that they are not sinning gravely for doing so. However, excommunication can be lifted only by a bishop, while those who persist in grave sin and are therefore denied communion may return to the Eucharist simply by repenting and receiving absolution from a priest.

 

[mikworld]

This is a pretty simple answer.
Should one oppose life, then one should not recieve it.
If one is against Jesus and what He stands for, then why should one recieve Him body and blood, soul and divinity?
The church only steps in and denies members the Eucharist if they are in a state of public, grave, manifest sin, which is to say that one is disagreeing with the church in a public fassion.
Hope this helps!

Justin