Do Catholics have a serious obligation to observe the Eucharistic fast?

[Lissie]

The other day my family and I (Catholics) were vacationing with a Catholic friend. On Monday we had a late breakfast. We were debating about going to Mass at noon. I said that we could not receive communion because we would not have fasted an hour before we received communion. My friend told me that God would understand, that I was too rigid. I just told her that I was not about to begin to pick and choose between what I obeyed and not. She looked at me as if I were a bit obsessive.

Was I right?

 

[Jim_Blackburn]

Jesus said first to Peter and then later to all of the apostles, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16:18; 18:18)

The Church has always recognized in these words the authority to enact disciplinary laws which the faithful must follow. The *Catechism * explains (553; my emphasis in bold):

The power to “bind and loose” connotes the authority to absolve sins, to pronounce doctrinal judgments, and to make disciplinary decisions in the Church. Jesus entrusted this authority to the Church through the ministry of the apostles and in particular through the ministry of Peter…

One of the ways the Church enacts disciplinary laws is through the Code of Canon Law. One of those laws (919 §1) is this:

A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.

In other words, yes, you were right: The faithful have a serious obligation to observe the Eucharistic fast.

You might also point out to your friend that the Church requires the Eucharistic fast for good reason. The *Catechism *(1387) explains that it helps us to “prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament” so that we “convey the respect, solemnity, and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest.”

Fr. Vincent Serpa points out, “the fast is there to help us realize what an honor it is to have the God of the universe under our very private roof. When things come too easy, we tend not to appreciate them. There are some who think the present fast is too easy.”