Receiving the Eucharist and Sin

[LateranBasilica]

thankyou…

@Youngling11. These questions are really for your priest. He has charge of your earthly spiritual journey. I am sure he gets asked this question weekly.
Please be guided by him.

 

[InThePew]

So my questions are, how do I know with certainty if my sin is due to addiction or not? Should I receive communion when I commit this sin? Is going to confession weekly too little/too often? How can I not get discouraged when I am only able to receive the Eucharist once a week or so due to this sin, especially when I want to receive Him daily?

This is something which comes up almost every time I hear confessions. What the Lord asks of us is that we’re honest with ourselves since the sacraments exist for our benefit not His. As you’ve said, addiction (or force of acquired habit to use the wording of the catechism) impairs our freedom and so lessens responsibility for the offence but doesn’t make the action itself okay.

The most important thing is to keep going back to confession - as often as it happens, as soon as it happens - even if this means you’re there several times a week; you don’t have to wait for the scheduled times. Once you’ve been to confession, you can of course receive the Eucharist. Apart from this, if there is no opportunity to confess, you can still receive the Eucharist provided you intend to go make an act of perfect contrition (so express true sorrow to God for your sins out of love for Him) and resolve to go to confession as soon as possible.grave reason. You’re reasons for wanting to receive communion also need to be serious - not simply “it’d be nice”. or “you want to”. As Pope Francis has said however, the Eucharist is a medicine for the sick not a prize for the perfect so, in your case frequent communion would be helpful but definitely bring this up when you next go to confession (if not before)

 

[S_A_M]

thank you

and to all members, please pray for me (and prayed each others, too)

 

[Franky]

The temptation to masturbate is definitely a cross that many of us (both men and women) have to carry. There’s a reason why it’s a cliche that our clergy have to hear the “I’ve masturbated” confession all the time.

Just remember that God will always provide a “way of escape” from temptation and will not allow you to be tempted “above that ye are able.” (1 Cor 10:13)

Pray for Him to show you this escape. There are popular “nofap” online communities out there (just avoid the trolls) that might help. You are not alone – myself included.

Take to heart 1 Cor 11:27 when it written “whosoever shall eat this bread…shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” Cross your arms and receive a blessing [instead] along with the rest of us dudes who are guilty.

Prayers for all in this thread who are suffering this addiction as well.

 

[afvasque]

IMHO, first and foremost, please do NOT take Holy Communion when you know you have sinned in the way you’ve described, it’s for your own sake.

Having that out of the way, I believe that our Lord knows when, as the kind people in this chat have pointed out, the re-wiring of your brain requires time and effort in a long time basis and He will carry you in His arms as long as you put the effort to gravitate to him and do as we are all told to do. Go to confession often, every week. Make sure that from the time of confession/penitence and the time you receive Holy Communion, you have not fallen to that addiction or any other mortal sin; If you lust, pray. We will all fall prey to sin but reconciliation is always there to help us.