Multiple reception of Communion: Questions

[Celestine]

I am probably over thinking this but I have the opportunity to go to mass multiple times a day, I am aware that the limit is twice. Do I get any benefit if I go twice or is it the same as if I go once, in short will I get more grace than if I went once apart from others graces like praying, adoration and fellowship at Mass.

Before Catholics where only allowed to receive once a day, so it makes me think if there is any benefit, apart from praying more, (like how there is no benefit in consuming a larger or smaller piece of the Eucharist since Christ is equally present) otherwise why doesn’t the Church make it unlimited?

So I guess i’m asking; what is the theology or reason behind the practice (if there is any).

 

[Fauken]

So I guess i’m asking; what is the theology or reason behind the practice (if there is any).

If I had to guess, imagine someone who basically spends all day Sunday hopping between churches to receive the Eucharist. After he/she receives Jesus for the sixth time that day, the hosts run out, and the person behind him/her who goes to just that one Mass misses the chance to receive Jesus. That’s not very fair now is it?

 

[Celestine]

Hahahaha, I suppose thats a aspect of it, I guess its a little crazy too.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Receiving Jesus in the Eucharist one time per day is really enough. You don’t somehow get more holier receiving multiple times. As I understand it, the reason two Communions are now permitted (if the second one is received at a Mass at which the person assists) was to cover situations where a person might need to attend two Masses in one day, such as a Saturday morning Mass for a wedding and then a vigil Mass for Sunday happening at 6 pm.

With respect to just going to Mass, not necessarily receiving Communion, you could in theory go to several Masses in a day (as long as you stuck to the two-Communion-maximum rule). I’m aware of one saint who did this, Venerable Matt Talbot, who would go to several Sunday Masses. Matt Talbot was an alcoholic who had beat his addiction through strong Catholicism and dedicating himself to Mary, in the days before AA existed. His attendance at several Masses on his day off from work was likely helping him stay away from drink. If he’d lived in the days of AA, he might have gone to Mass and a couple of AA meetings.

I personally generally prefer to attend one Mass and then spend my prayer time for the rest of the day saying some other prayers. Occasionally I will go to two Masses when it’s a case of needing to meet two separate obligations, or when there happens to be two Masses I would like to attend happening on the same day (for example, a Mass at a morning retreat and then that evening a special Latin Mass somewhere else unconnected to the retreat). You can definitely offer up the Mass for a poor soul or something, but I don’t think a person gets holier by attending two Masses in a day when other people attend only one. The benefits of one Mass are so great that attending two on the same day just to gain spiritual benefit for yourself seems like overkill, unless you have another reason like meeting a Mass obligation or offering one for a special intention or for your own emotional support (because you need to keep yourself from hitting the bars or you just had a death in your family and want to be in church, etc.)

 

[OmnesBonum]

Receiving the Lord will always have a great benefit to anyone, but the reason the church only allows 2 receptions per day at mass (3 for viaticum) is so that people do not take the sacraments lightly or thoughtlessly as could happen for many people if they received more often than this.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I think it’s also so that people don’t feel they can get extra holy if they receive 10 times as opposed to 1 time.

 

[Sirach2]

. . . will I get more grace than if I went once apart from others graces like praying, adoration and fellowship at Mass?

The Mass is the most sacred act of worship that we can partake in. The real benefit is that we may apply our intention of the Mass for special individuals (including ourselves) who are much in need of God’s grace, whether living or deceased.

Some do not realize this, and think that their intention only counts when they pay a stipend to have the priest offer it for their intention. Not so. The only difference is that the priest must make it HIS intention due to the stipend, but we are able to make our priestly intention for whomsoever God inspires us to offer the Mass.
God knows how many are in need in today’s world.