Reconciling With Others Before Receiving Communion?

[FlamingArrow]

Do you have to reconcile first to others you have hurt before receiving communion?

 

[Neithan]

You have to confess a mortal sin in the sacrament of reconciliation before receiving communion. So you could not, for example, hold onto and bear a grudge against someone, since that’s a grave sin against charity.

As for actually reconciling with other people, that is not a requirement in order for you to receive communion — and is not entirely within our power anyway, since the other person must be willing to reconcile — although it is a good intention that you can pursue as a penance.

 

[John_Martin]

Matthew 5:23-24 shows Jesus telling how to proceed when participating in the offering of sacrifice at the altar. Communion is the last or concluding act of the offering at the altar of the sacrifice; so I find Him saying to me, “be reconciled, then come participate the liturgy of the Mass at the altar.”

 

[Tis_Bearself]

You should at least reconcile with/ forgive them in your heart. If they’re physically present then you can make peace with them as soon as possible, unless there’s some good reason not to do that (example would be if you had a toxic relationship with someone and it’s best to forgive them from a distance without going to them and saying it, or if you had some bad dating relationship with someone who’s now married to someone else - their spouse probably doesn’t want you coming around even with good intentions).

This is what the Sign of Peace is supposed to be for, not for greeting random neighbors sitting in the pews around you.

And as someone said, if you committed a grave-possibly-mortal sin, you’re expected to confess that and be absolved before you receive Communion - but you’re not required to “reconcile” with the person to be absolved.