Receiving the Eucharist once a year at Easter?

[Mintaka]

Hark! People on the Internet are saying things wrong! It’s time for me, STICK HER NOSE IN WOMAN!

First off… it’s none of our business when the OP receives Communion. That’s a personal decision between God and the communicant. As long as one receives at least once a year during the Easter season, one’s obligations are covered and nobody else has a right to say anything. (Except one’s priest, spiritual director, and family/friends. We ain’t them.)

Now, seeing as how the OP has asked for advice, it’s okay for us to comment. But we have to remember that fundamental principle that it’s not our business to command or shake our heads.

The requirements for receiving Communion are actually threefold.

1. Baptized Catholic person (or Orthodox, or other in danger of death or with grave reasons and permission from priest, blah blah useful exceptions).
2. In a state of grace. (That is, no mortal sins on your soul.)
3. Properly disposed for Communion.

That third requirement is much more nebulous than the other two. It means that if you want to receive Communion, you do need to turn your mind and heart to being interested and grateful, and that you should obviously believe that Jesus is really there (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity). More practically, it also means that you shouldn’t be in a state of anger, jealousy, or any other ugly emotions that are turned upon yourself, your family, the priest, the people in the pews in front of you, or anybody else. You have to be able to lay that down for at least five minutes and concentrate on Jesus. (Or a reasonable facsimile thereof. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be trying. That’s what this kind of “disposition” entails.)

So you do not have to be “worthy.” You have to be trying to be a grateful beggar at God’s door, a child who will eat what is given to him, a recipient who cares about the gift from God of His Own Body and Blood, a sharer in the Unbloody Sacrifice.

In general, frequent Communion is a great privilege granted to us by the Church. But “eucharistic fasting” has also been praised by many saints and holy people, because it makes us long for Jesus more. Striking a balance is a good thing. Personally, I need the Eucharist often, because I need help to keep away from mortal sins. Other people have different souls that work differently.

I agree that people playing videogames during Mass are probably not properly disposed for Communion. (Unless they are really following their missals on their electronic devices, which they might be. And technically, if somebody invented some kind of meditative videogame that went along with Mass, I suppose it would be possible to play such a holy videogame and be properly disposed. But it would have to be pretty strange as a videogame…)

I would point out that, if you’re looking at other people disapprovingly during Communion instead of praying, you probably aren’t properly disposed, either. Also, it can be considered rude to stare at people performing an intimate act with God.

Going to Mass as a duty is not a bad thing. It’s not the best thing; it’s a low level of holiness that could be improved greatly. But it’s not to be despised. Give people a break, unless you are their pastor, parent, etc.

And now, having stuck my nose in, I go!

 

[fred_conty]

WHOOAH! That is a long stretch. The second para I bolded even more so. Unity is constant. Jesus is not limited as we are.

I’m truly interested in “why” you said what you said.

You said that unity is constant, but that isn’t clear to me because our unity with Jesus is always growing, or should be. This means that the divine life within should be ever increasing. And in the spiritual life, what does not go forward Is slipping backward and will start to die.

The angel came to Mary, he said “Hail Mary, full of grace”. If that same angel came to you he might say, “Hail Rose, with grace”. There is a difference.

In heaven, the divine vision of happiness depends on the degree of grace one has reached in this life. So that there will be greater or lesser reward according to one’s grace(life of God) merited in this life. All merit in the next life ceases and therefore all growth in grace stops as well. This merit of ours depends on the growth of our union with Christ thru grace as well as other circumstances. A holier person is closer to God thru his intense grace.

The source of all holiness(grace) is Christ, who is received by us thru the Eucharist. Thru this he becomes our food to feed our divine life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.”

So the result is that a person must reflect Christ more and more, both inward and outward.
As St. Paul suggested that he himself must become less and less, and Christ must become more and more. Which requires a growth.

“And now we follow you with all our heart and we revere you and seek your face.” Daniel 3

 

[Reuben_J]

Would it be acceptable to practice this annual taking of the Eucharist? I feel rather unworthy in partaking of the Eucharist quite often, so I was wondering whether it be acceptable to partake of the Eucharist annually (at Easter) or even monthly?

Thank you for reading.

Yes, no but and if.

Feeling unworthy is just being human, and you are honest enough to admit it.

We can never be worthy of God because of the great chasm between us.

But we are made worthy when Jesus Christ died for us. That takes a lot of pinching ourselves and I guess you are one of those. I was like that some times and when I believed that Jesus died for me, and for that I am made worthy, the realization really fell on me.

It is not on my own that I am worthy but by the graceful act of God that I am made worthy.

Take your time. You are respecting and honoring the Eucharist, the reason you want to receive it minimally, and that is really very noble of you. If one day you are convinced that God has made you worthy of receiving Him in flesh and blood, perhaps that will give you courage to stand before Him and receive Him regularly as much as you want to.

God bless you.

 

[babochka]

Wait, I’ve heard that there is an obligation to attend the easter mass, but I didn’t know there was an obligation to take communion at that mass. What if you are in a state of mortal sin??? You have to take communion but you can’t take communion in that case

There is also a duty to confess mortal sins at least once a year, so that shouldn’t be a problem if one is committed to fulfilling the absolute minimum that the Church has set forth.

There is a duty to attend Easter Mass, as with every Sunday. There is a separate obligation to receive Holy Communion at least nice during the Easter season, but not necessarily at the Easter Mass.

As far as being in mortal sin, the answer is obvious: prepare for Communion with Confession. It goes without saying.

 

[babochka]

Would it be acceptable to practice this annual taking of the Eucharist? I feel rather unworthy in partaking of the Eucharist quite often, so I was wondering whether it be acceptable to partake of the Eucharist annually (at Easter) or even monthly?

Thank you for reading.

You should seek the counsel of your pastor, confessor or spiritual father in this, for your specific purpose.

The Church has set a minimum for the good of our souls, so that we will be “forced” to receive at least once a year, in spite of our feelings of unworthiness. But since when has the bare minimum been a good practice in anything, least of all the spiritual life? The Church also expects us to confess mortal sins at least once a year, but if you were in mortal sin, would it be right to say, “It isn’t Lent yet. I don’t want to abuse the Sacrament, so I’ll wait until Lent to confess.” Is that what we should do? No, we should run to the mercy of God, no matter how many times we need it. Why would we not approach the Eucharist in the same way? God is there to help us every single day. We don’t have to go it alone, only turning to the Eucharist on rare occasions. The Eucharist strengthens our soul against sin and draws us ever closer into communion with him. It is meant to be food for the journey and God has given us enough. If we fail to partake of that food, our souls will weaken, just as our bodies will weaken without food. For me, I can use all the help I can get on this journey.

Let the saints and the Fathers of the Church speak to you. A quick search on frequent Communion will bring up dozens of beautiful quotes from the saint on our** need **for frequent Communion. Here are some of my favorites:

St. Ambrose - He is our daily bread. Why dost thou wish to communicate only at the beginning of the year? Live in such a manner that you may Communicate every day.** He who is not fit to communicate every day will not be worthy at the end of a year. **

If we fall into some small, pardonable sins on account of our being human, either with our tongue, our ears, our eyes, and we fall as victims of deceit into vainglory, or sorrow, or anger, or some other like sin, let us condemn ourselves and confess to God. Thus let us partake of the Holy Mysteries, believing that the reception of the divine Mysteries is unto the purification of these small sins (though not the grave and evil and impure sins which we may have committed, regarding which we should seek the Mystery of Confession). [115]

St. Augustine - Eat every day, that you may gain strength. O Christian Soul, if thou wish to preserve thy beauty, never quit the table of thy heavenly spouse. If you would live forever, eat every day his flesh.

St. Ambrose - He is our daily bread. Why dost thou wish to communicate only at the beginning of the year? Live in such a manner that you may Communicate every day. He who is not fit to communicate every day will not be worthy at the end of a year.

St. John Vianney - Communion is to the soul like blowing a fire that is beginning to go out, but that has still plenty of hot embers; we blow, and the fire burns again. After the reception of the Sacraments, when we feel ourselves slacken in the love of God, let us have recourse at once to spiritual communion. When we cannot come to church, let us turn towards the tabernacle: a wall cannot separate us from the good God; let us say five Patres and five Aves to make a spiritual communion. We can receive the good God only once a day; a soul on fire with love supplies for this by the desire to receive Him every moment. O man, how great thou art! fed with the Body and Blood of a God! Oh, how sweet a life is this life of union with the good God! It is Heaven upon earth; there are no more troubles, no more crosses! When you have the happiness of having received the good God, you feel a joy, a sweetness in your heart for some moments. Pure souls feel it always, and in this union consists their strength and their happiness.

 

[CB_Catholic]

Wait, I’ve heard that there is an obligation to attend the easter mass, but I didn’t know there was an obligation to take communion at that mass. What if you are in a state of mortal sin??? You have to take communion but you can’t take communion in that case

The obligation is not for the Easter Mass. It is for the Easter Season. If you happen to be in mortal sin (God forbid) on Easter Sunday, you can still fulfill the obligation to confess and receive the Eucharist during the Easter Season.

 

[Rosebud77]

I’m truly interested in “why” you said what you said.

You said that unity is constant, but that isn’t clear to me because our unity with Jesus is always growing, or should be. This means that the divine life within should be ever increasing. And in the spiritual life, what does not go forward Is slipping backward and will start to die.

The angel came to Mary, he said “Hail Mary, full of grace”. If that same angel came to you he might say, “Hail Rose, with grace”. There is a difference.

In heaven, the divine vision of happiness depends on the degree of grace one has reached in this life. So that there will be greater or lesser reward according to one’s grace(life of God) merited in this life. All merit in the next life ceases and therefore all growth in grace stops as well. This merit of ours depends on the growth of our union with Christ thru grace as well as other circumstances. A holier person is closer to God thru his intense grace.

**The source of all holiness(grace) is Christ, who is received by us thru the Eucharist. Thru this he becomes our food to feed our divine life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.”
**
So the result is that a person must reflect Christ more and more, both inward and outward.
As St. Paul suggested that he himself must become less and less, and Christ must become more and more. Which requires a growth.

“And now we follow you with all our heart and we revere you and seek your face.” Daniel 3

This.

And what is it to you now I am in Christ? I have explained already. Listen and read… and respect the ways of others please

If you can tell me how someone living on a tiny islland with no priest? Of when as now, able to up only to feed myself etc.

Even if the church were next door I would be the same

You are limiting Jesus and that is … welll , sad. at least, Very sad indeed.
You think He does not feed we who are in such situations?
Gee!!!

Reflcting Jesus is not dependent on getting to mass and taking communion ONLY.

Of course there is growth. More than you will ever know,

Of course we have life in Jesus; words you quoted do not set down daily or weekly communion

I am referring you to Minkata’s excellent post also

Daily or weekly communion is not needful, or possible, or wise, for every person. period.

OK? OK

Even if not it is OK!!!

Have a lovely Sunday

 

[ProVobis]

1. Properly disposed for Communion.

That third requirement is much more nebulous than the other two. It means that if you want to receive Communion, you do need to turn your mind and heart to being interested and grateful, and that you should obviously believe that Jesus is really there (Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity). More practically, it also means that you shouldn’t be in a state of anger, jealousy, or any other ugly emotions that are turned upon yourself, your family, the priest, the people in the pews in front of you, or anybody else. You have to be able to lay that down for at least five minutes and concentrate on Jesus. (Or a reasonable facsimile thereof. You don’t have to be perfect; you just have to be trying. That’s what this kind of “disposition” entails.)

Good argument.

 

[e_c]

Here’s Garrigou-Lagrange on the topic… I’d recommend reading through to the end of this page.

christianperfection.info/tta44.php#bk2

 

[Rosebud77]

You should seek the counsel of your pastor, confessor or spiritual father in this, for your specific purpose.

The Church has set a minimum for the good of our souls, so that we will be “forced” to receive at least once a year, in spite of our feelings of unworthiness. But since when has the bare minimum been a good practice in anything, least of all the spiritual life? The Church also expects us to confess mortal sins at least once a year, but if you were in mortal sin, would it be right to say, “It isn’t Lent yet. I don’t want to abuse the Sacrament, so I’ll wait until Lent to confess.” Is that what we should do? No, we should run to the mercy of God, no matter how many times we need it. Why would we not approach the Eucharist in the same way? God is there to help us every single day. We don’t have to go it alone, only turning to the Eucharist on rare occasions. The Eucharist strengthens our soul against sin and draws us ever closer into communion with him. It is meant to be food for the journey and God has given us enough. If we fail to partake of that food, our souls will weaken, just as our bodies will weaken without food. For me, I can use all the help I can get on this journey.

Let the saints and the Fathers of the Church speak to you. A quick search on frequent Communion will bring up dozens of beautiful quotes from the saint on our** need **for frequent Communion. Here are some of my favorites:

St. Ambrose - He is our daily bread. Why dost thou wish to communicate only at the beginning of the year? Live in such a manner that you may Communicate every day.** He who is not fit to communicate every day will not be worthy at the end of a year. **

If we fall into some small, pardonable sins on account of our being human, either with our tongue, our ears, our eyes, and we fall as victims of deceit into vainglory, or sorrow, or anger, or some other like sin, let us condemn ourselves and confess to God. Thus let us partake of the Holy Mysteries, believing that the reception of the divine Mysteries is unto the purification of these small sins (though not the grave and evil and impure sins which we may have committed, regarding which we should seek the Mystery of Confession). [115]

St. Augustine - Eat every day, that you may gain strength. O Christian Soul, if thou wish to preserve thy beauty, never quit the table of thy heavenly spouse. If you would live forever, eat every day his flesh.

St. Ambrose - He is our daily bread. Why dost thou wish to communicate only at the beginning of the year? Live in such a manner that you may Communicate every day. He who is not fit to communicate every day will not be worthy at the end of a year.

St. John Vianney - Communion is to the soul like blowing a fire that is beginning to go out, but that has still plenty of hot embers; we blow, and the fire burns again. After the reception of the Sacraments, when we feel ourselves slacken in the love of God, let us have recourse at once to spiritual communion. When we cannot come to church, let us turn towards the tabernacle: a wall cannot separate us from the good God; let us say five Patres and five Aves to make a spiritual communion. We can receive the good God only once a day; a soul on fire with love supplies for this by the desire to receive Him every moment. O man, how great thou art! fed with the Body and Blood of a God! Oh, how sweet a life is this life of union with the good God! It is Heaven upon earth; there are no more troubles, no more crosses! When you have the happiness of having received the good God, you feel a joy, a sweetness in your heart for some moments. Pure souls feel it always, and in this union consists their strength and their happiness.

I prefer and choose to listen to Jesus and my own advisers, rather than men however holy they are. Seems odd that when you are happy with your life, you seem to think that everyone else must do as you do and think as you do? I am not saying to you to take communion once a year so why do you try to tell others to do it your way?

We are not clones . We are individuals know to Jesus and beloved of Him. Each different.

 

[babochka]

I prefer and choose to listen to Jesus and my own advisers, rather than men however holy they are. Seems odd that when you are happy with your life, you seem to think that everyone else must do as you do and think as you do? I am not saying to you to take communion once a year so why do you try to tell others to do it your way?

We are not clones . We are individuals know to Jesus and beloved of Him. Each different.

Well, the OP asked for others’ (name removed by moderator)ut, so I gave my opinion, backed up by the teaching of saints. While my own opinion is of little value, the teaching of such giants in the faith such as I quoted is held in great esteem by the Church, and ought to be held in esteem by all Catholics.

Could they be wrong for a particular situation? Of course! That’s why the first thing I said is that the OP should seek the counsel of someone who knows the specifics of his/her situation.