Not taking Holy Communion

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Lea101

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If the person isn’t in a state of mortal sin, is it wrong for the person to not take Communion during mass?
 
As far as I know, no, it isn’t “wrong.” In fact, there are a number of situations in which a person in a state of grace should refrain from receiving - didn’t respect one-hour pre-Communion fast, for example, or has already received twice that day and is not in danger of death. But even if none of those conditions apply, it would not be “wrong” to refrain from receiving.

Given the graces received in Communion, I wonder why a properly disposed person would decline. But I don’t believe it’s objectively wrong to do so.
 
If you understand and believe what the Holy Eucharist is, why would you not receive when you are able to do so ? 🤷

Jim
 
Lea101 said:
If the person isn’t in a state of mortal sin, is it wrong for the person to not take Communion during mass?
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Everything that is not expressly impermissible is by default permissible. Not everything that is permissible is by default beneficial.

The requirement is to receive Holy Communion once per year, during the paschal time (between Easter and Pentecost). Talk to your pastor for more guidance.
 
JimR-OCDS said:
If you understand and believe what the Holy Eucharist is, why would you not receive when you are able to do so ? 🤷

Jim
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There’s a bunch of ridiculous reasons: being too lazy to get up, not feeling a connection with God, hating the taste etc. I was wondering if these reasons would be synonymous with “rejecting” God.
 
There are serious reasons such as social anxiety/shyness, feeling ill that day, not feeling worthy (even if in a state of grace).

I don’t think “not feeling a connection with God” is a “ridiculous reason”. I think it’s a very serious reason which is probably giving the person some concern.
 
The Church only requires that we receive Holy Communion once a year at Easter.

I went to Mass today because I was in the area of a Church and had time during lunch hour. I didn’t receive Communion because I’d eaten less than an hour before.
 
Dempsey1919 said:
The Church only requires that we receive Holy Communion once a year at Easter.

I went to Mass today because I was in the area of a Church and had time during lunch hour. I didn’t receive Communion because I’d eaten less than an hour before.
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In response to your first sentence…That is a very minimal requirement. God knows where we all are spiritually, and perhaps that is to remind believers to stay connected, in the hopes that they will draw closer to Him and allow themselves to be sanctified.

With regard to your going to Mass because you were near a Church and had time, that is great.

And it is good that you refrained from receiving in order to obey the discipline of fasting beforehand.

Peace!

Dorothy
 
It’s not ‘wrong’ if you mean prohibited - there does not exist a requirement to receive communion whenever in a state of grace. However, do be careful of scrupulosity and I would encourage you to thoroughly explore your reasons for not desiring to receive when able. As someone suggested, the advise of a good spiritual director would be really helpful!
 
Lea101 said:
There’s a bunch of ridiculous reasons: being too lazy to get up, not feeling a connection with God, hating the taste etc. I was wondering if these reasons would be synonymous with “rejecting” God.
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Interesting. I don’t think they are the same as “rejecting” God, but you are rejecting the opportunity to grow closer to Him through the Sacrament of the Eucharist. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was something ‘deeper’ behind your decision (probably relating to not feeling a connection with God). I’d look behind the decision to the root cause. Talk to a good priest or even a good Catholic friend who you respect and respects the Church 👍
 
Lea101 said:
There’s a bunch of ridiculous reasons: being too lazy to get up, not feeling a connection with God, hating the taste etc. I was wondering if these reasons would be synonymous with “rejecting” God.
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Too lazy to get up out of the pew?
Or to go to Mass at all? That’s a different query
 
Lea101 said:
There’s a bunch of ridiculous reasons: being too lazy to get up, not feeling a connection with God, hating the taste etc. I was wondering if these reasons would be synonymous with “rejecting” God.
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If these are the reason’s, then you should not receive Holy Communion.

Only if you know and believe in what it is taking place should you present yourself to receive.

Jim
 
If a person is in a state of grace, then those reasons/excuses very well could be from the evil one. He will try many different temptations in order to get a faithful Catholic to stop receiving, because he knows that the Eucharist is our strength, our medicine, our union with God…it is everything.
 
Actually in the East, depending on the severity or type of sin, one can be told to not receive communion for a length of time. And this is AFTER confession and receiving absolution. I’ve seen this happen several times (like don’t receive for a week).

There are also a lot of canons from the first millennium that tells one should not receive communion for a period of time, up to years even, as penance for some sin.
 
Lea101 said:
If the person isn’t in a state of mortal sin, is it wrong for the person to not take Communion during mass?
Click to expand...
We are not obliged to receive Communion except during the Easter season, but it would certainly be losing graces… Our Lord desires to be received by us very much. Its a special joy for Him.

We shouldn’t receive Communion if in a state of mortal sin or if we haven’t fasted, but otherwise I think it’s best to receive. Exceptions might be if you’re really unprepared interiorly or came too late to weekday Mass or something…

Sometimes people don’t receive out of fear, when they’re in a state of grace, and I think that is something Our Lord doesn’t want. He would want us to trust and receive Him. St Therese wrote to her cousin:

"
Oh, my darling, think, then, that Jesus is there in the Tabernacle expressly for you, for you alone-, He is burning with the desire to enter your heart … so don’t listen to the devil, mock him, and go without any fear to receive Jesus in peace and love!. . . ,

Your heart is made to love Jesus, to love Him passionately; pray so that the beautiful years of your life may not pass by in chimer*ical fears.

We have only the short moments of our life to love Jesus, and the devil knows this well, and so he tries to consume our life in useless works …

Dear little sister, receive Communion often, very often. . . . That is the only remedy if you want to be healed."
 
Lea101 said:
There’s a bunch of ridiculous reasons: being too lazy to get up, not feeling a connection with God, hating the taste etc. I was wondering if these reasons would be synonymous with “rejecting” God.
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I think to such a person I would recommend reflecting on the reality of the Eucharist and Our Lord’s love in the Eucharist… How much He truly longs for us there. Certain Saints wrote beautifully on that to help us reflect 🙂 two of my favourites not by Saints but approved mystics, are He and I by Gabrielle Bossis and Way of Divine Love by Sr Josefa Menendez… Its just words from Jesus that really can bring a soul closer to Him.

as for not feeling a connection with God… A Saint said something like - if you feel cold, should you move away from the fire?

However as others indicated, its important to look at the reasons for these feelings. Are they sudden temptations to an otherwise pious person who is trying hard to love God? Are they there due to a certain coolness in the faith, lack of prayer or reflection, etc? In the second case it might indicate a lack of preparation.

Eucharistic Adoration has been described as a great way to make our Communions more fervent

Also spending time after Communion close to Our Lord and opening up to Him, as that is when we receive the most graces… Sometimes people just walk out, but that’s the time God most wants to be with us.

God who made the universe, the stars, Heaven… He becomes little and hides all His glory in the Host. Just from a longing to be with us.
 
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