Question on "worthiness"

[DeaconsSon87]

I frequently thank God for our Catholic Bishops taking the strong stances they do in defending the Church and her teachings, particularly in this time where several baptized are slipping into relativism.

However, I do have a question on the wording of a certain document. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI (before he was made Pope) had published a document questioning the “worthiness” of politicians who support abortion to receive Communion. While I agree that they are not in the right disposition (the soul has to be free from mortal sin), I’ve always had a problem with the word “worthiness” being used this way. Don’t we faithful say right before we receive, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…”? How are the two meanings of “worthy” different?

Just asking…now that the guy’s Pope, I’m bound to follow all his teachings on faith and morals (which I gladly do).

 

[FightingFat]

Since the Pope is German and the document was probably drafted in Latin, I would be very interested to see if this was anything more than an issue with translation?

 

[japhy]

The document was written expressly for the USCCB, so I’m not sure what other languages it went through before it was sent.

We are all unworthy before God. But the New Testament (click here for quotes – see the second half of the post) describes how, after receiving God’s gratuitous gift, we are to live worthily of that gift.

It’s like a father who gives his old suit jacket to his 8-year-old son. It doesn’t fit the boy, he doesn’t “deserve” it. It’s a gift. The boy is clumsy with it, but it’s his now. It will take years before the boy grows into it and fills it properly. But if that boy mistreats his body – starving or gorging himself – that jacket won’t be appropriate for him. It will have been a wasted gift.

That analogy (albeit imperfect) is how I conceive of this gift of grace and eternal life which God bestows on us. We are unworthy when we receive, and we are unworthy to receive it… but God has every reason to expect (and require!) us to grow worthy of it, because we’re not doing it alone… we’ve got God’s grace to become worthy.

Every good work which we perform with God’s grace (and thus in His will) is a step towards worthiness, growing in sanctification. (Remember, “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” - Eph 2:10)

Every sin is a step towards that unworthiness we were entrenched in before we received the gift of grace. Venial sins are like that. But some sins are mortal and these are indicative not of a step towards unworthiness but of an attachment to unworthiness. Mortal sins cause us to be outside a state of grace, inside a state of unworthiness.

I hope that helps…

 

[benedictgal]

I frequently thank God for our Catholic Bishops taking the strong stances they do in defending the Church and her teachings, particularly in this time where several baptized are slipping into relativism.

However, I do have a question on the wording of a certain document. Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI (before he was made Pope) had published a document questioning the “worthiness” of politicians who support abortion to receive Communion. While I agree that they are not in the right disposition (the soul has to be free from mortal sin), I’ve always had a problem with the word “worthiness” being used this way. Don’t we faithful say right before we receive, “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you…”? How are the two meanings of “worthy” different?

Just asking…now that the guy’s Pope, I’m bound to follow all his teachings on faith and morals (which I gladly do).

Actually, that document was written in his capacity as Prefect for the Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith, not as as Joseph Ratzinger. It is similar to a Dubium released by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Inasmuch as it was directed towards the USCCB, it doesn’t make it any less of an official document. If it was applicable during the reign of Pope John Paul II, it certainly is affirmed during the author’s reign as Pope Benedict XVI.