Receiving the Eucharist forgives venial sins?

[TrueLight]

Please reread what I wrote. I will attempt to explain this one more time. I apologize for not being clear.

If you genuinly want to understand the Eastern perspective, you have get out of the Western mindset of the division of sins. I could go more indepth about this, but it is a side topic. Please PM me if you have questions about eastern perspective on sins. I will do my best to explain it, I am not a theologian but I have excellent resources.

Compare it to this. I hear the debate come up on this forum (I have actually floated around here since 2004) quite frequently - can a confessor require a murder to turn himself in as penance? Answer: no, but if he is truly repentant he should turn himself in on his own.

Now take that and apply it to this discussion. In the Eastern perspective, there are three ways to receive forgiveness of sins (annointing of the sick - we all receive it at least once a year because we also give it for spiritual sickness, not just physical, confession and Eucharist). All three offer the ability to forgive sins and heal the person. Only confession, however, offers you the ability to discuss these shortcomings with a confessor who can offer advice, guidance, a spiritual regiment to help you improve, and support. If there is something that is severely hampering your path to God, what one might say is a serious sin (but keep in mind in the East this could potentially be different for everyone depending on their personal spiritual place), then for true repentance, you should see your spiritual father (confessor) for guidance to ensure you can overcome the shortcomings and prepare for the Eucharist. It is the same double sword as above. You have to be truly repentant, and to be truly repentant you must experience metanoia (a desire to change), and to express that desire to change you need to see and discuss the matter with a confessor.

On a side note, Eastern Christian culture places a very heavy emphasis on people developing close relationships with spiritual fathers and mothers who know there personal circumstances and can advise them on an intimate level. Confession is expected to be done on a very regular basis, often weekly, regardless of sins committed. Everyone needs guidance. Of course, many EO and EC have allowed this practice to fall wayside in the face of secularism the way the Western churches are troubled as well.

I hope that clears it up. As others have noticed, we have wondered far off topic. Please PM me if you would like to continue the conversation.

Maybe we should start a different thread? I prefer to keep the discussion public because I think it is an important topic.

Maybe I will start it on the EC forum.

 

[TrueLight]

New Post on EC forum

 

[Bookcat]

Yes the Eucharist is for the forgiveness of sins. Yes of course.

It is for the forgiveness of sins – not of serious sins. (see the Eastern Code of Canon Law about “serious sins” verses “sins”)

Serious sins are to be confessed and absolved prior to Holy Communion (see the Eastern Code of Canon Law).

 

[ConstantineTG]

If Constantine is going to insist that the Eucharist remits all sins then I would be interested to know where Confession fits in his version of sacramental theology. If an Eastern Catholic can have all his sins forgiven merely by receiving the Eucharist, then what need has he of Confession at all?

Confession leads to reformation of self, repentance. It is one thing to have your sins forgiven, it is another to actually change your ways and live a life according to God.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I want to stress again that there are fundamental differences between forgiveness and absolution

I have never come across “absolution” in Eastern writings. As newlywed8 has stressed several times, to understand Eastern teaching you have to let go of your Western mindset. It is impossible to understand, say, Chinese or Japanese culture by looking at everything they do with an American mindset. The same with faith, the East does not make legalistic differences with venial and mortal sins, no difference between forgiveness and absolution. If you can’t get past that, you will never get what the East is thinking about.

 

[Cristiano]

I have never come across “absolution” in Eastern writings. As newlywed8 has stressed several times, to understand Eastern teaching you have to let go of your Western mindset. It is impossible to understand, say, Chinese or Japanese culture by looking at everything they do with an American mindset. The same with faith, the East does not make legalistic differences with venial and mortal sins, no difference between forgiveness and absolution. If you can’t get past that, you will never get what the East is thinking about.

I still think that what you are saying is false. I say that because you seem to speak for all the Eastern Christian whether they are Catholics and Orthodox and I know that a lot of them disagree with you. If you go through a cursory scan of the threads in the EC forum you will see that quite a few disagree with your statements.

I also do not like the fact that you assume that all the Latin Catholics involved in these discussions do not know and understand Eastern theology. I think that it is quite unfair to accuse a Latin Catholic of not knowing the nuances of Eastern Christian theology when they are not discussing theology but doctrines.

 

[Bookcat]

And from the Byzantine Catholic Church in America website -from the Congregation for the Eastern Churches :

“In it, as affirmed by can. 718 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, the faithful who have committed sins after Baptism and resolve to lead a new life, “through the ministry of the priest, having themselves made a confession and accepted an appropriate penance, obtain forgiveness from God and at the same time are reconciled with the Church.” This confession, individual and integral, with absolution, constitutes the only ordinary means by which the Christian faithful aware of a serious sin can obtain omission.[74] Even if serious sins have not been committed, it is strongly recommended that all the Christian faithful frequently receive this sacrament, especially during times of fasts and penance.”

byzcath.org/

 

[R_C]

Moved to forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=9748751&postcount=65

 

[Vico]

I have never come across “absolution” in Eastern writings. As newlywed8 has stressed several times, to understand Eastern teaching you have to let go of your Western mindset. It is impossible to understand, say, Chinese or Japanese culture by looking at everything they do with an American mindset. The same with faith, the East does not make legalistic differences with venial and mortal sins, no difference between forgiveness and absolution. If you can’t get past that, you will never get what the East is thinking about.

absolve:

PRAYER OF ST. JOHN DAMASCENE:
O Lord and Master Jesus Christ my God; You alone have power to absolve men from their sins. Forgive all my transgressions committed deliberately or through human frailty, in word or by deed. Grant that, without condemnation, I may partake of Your divine, glorious, most pure, and life-giving Mysteries. Let my sharing in Your Body and Blood be for the forgiveness of my sins and for the healing of my soul and body, as well as for a pledge of the life to come in Your kingdom; for You are a merciful and gracious God, and we glorify You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever. Amen.

 

[Bookcat]

And from the Byzantine Catholic Church in America website -from the Congregation for the Eastern Churches :

“In it, as affirmed by can. 718 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, the faithful who have committed sins after Baptism and resolve to lead a new life, “through the ministry of the priest, having themselves made a confession and accepted an appropriate penance, obtain forgiveness from God and at the same time are reconciled with the Church.” This confession, individual and integral, with absolution, constitutes the only ordinary means by which the Christian faithful aware of a serious sin can obtain omission.[74] Even if serious sins have not been committed, it is strongly recommended that all the Christian faithful frequently receive this sacrament, especially during times of fasts and penance.”

byzcath.org/

“This confession, individual and integral, with absolution, constitutes the only ordinary means by which the Christian faithful aware of a serious sin …”