Say the word and I shall be healed? Huh?

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AlanFromWichita

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My seventh grader brought up a question today I couldn’t answer.

I’m sure it has been discussed before and likely many times, but I don’t know what the “official” answer is.

We are taught that if we have a mortal sin, we may not go to Communion before going to confession to have it absolved.

His question was, when we say, “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but say the word and I shall be healed,” and actually believe what we say, then why can we still not go to Communion?

I told him I don’t know.

Insights?

Alan
 
I thought that only covered venial sins and to be forgiven and absolved of mortal sins we actually have to confess them. I’m a recovering Baptist ( 😃 ) in RCIA though so I’d be interested to hear this too. 🍿
 
djwright4341 said:
I thought that only covered venial sins and to be forgiven and absolved of mortal sins we actually have to confess them. I’m a recovering Baptist ( 😃 ) in RCIA though so I’d be interested to hear this too. 🍿
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That brings up another question. If, for some reason, you don’t say that prayer before an opportunity to go to Communion, then does a venial sin prevent you from being in whatever state of grace you need to, to receive Communion?

Alan
 
These words of the Roman Soldier to Jesus were added to the Mass to be honored and remembered for all times. They are not meant to replace, nor do they replace the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The soldier said them to Jesus when He stated He would come to the soldier’s home and heal his servant. The soldier knew he was unworthy to have Our Lord enter his house and stated thus. The words are remembered in the Mass to remind us that we too are unworthy to have Our Lord enter “our house”, ie. receive Holy Communion. We state our unworthiness, but by proceeding with receiving Him (without mortal sin) our unworthiness is lessened, because he now abides within us.

We still should approach Our Lord in Holy Communion with as clean a soul as we can, certainly free from the stain of mortal sin, but we are still unworthy. We are still human, with a human inclination to sin. The words do not absolve us of our sins, they only remind us of our unworthiness. By receiving Holy Communion, our venial sins are forgiven, thus cleansing our souls and therefore making us more worthy of Him.

Any help?
 
AlanFromWichita said:
My seventh grader brought up a question today I couldn’t answer.

I’m sure it has been discussed before and likely many times, but I don’t know what the “official” answer is.

We are taught that if we have a mortal sin, we may not go to Communion before going to confession to have it absolved.

His question was, when we say, “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but say the word and I shall be healed,” and actually believe what we say, then why can we still not go to Communion?

I told him I don’t know.

Insights?

Alan
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no prayer you can say, or prayer on the altar, can absolve you from your mortal sins, only the sacrament of penance can do that, or otherwise in an emergency where confession is not possible, an honest and sincere act of contrition can absolve you of your sins, but only until you are able to get to confession again, because if you were to do that and then neglect going to confession, you would make it invalid.

but anyways, the prayer on the altar for absolution is for remitting venial sin, and in communion we are forgiven and cleansed from our venial sins, but never does that include mortal sins, to receive communion in mortal sin would be a sacrilege, and would also put you in a worse state spiritually then before.

but when that prayer speaks of “healing” it is not referring to forgiveness of sins, but healing in your soul from vice and sinful attachments.

if you want to teach your son his religion from a really good catechism, i would suggest one of these -
fraternitypublications.com/aqca.html
archive.org/search.php?query=Teacher%27s%20handbook%20to%20the%20catechism
tanbooks.com/index.php/page/shop:flypage/product_id/537

the first one i would recommend most of all.
even if your son goes to Sunday school or learns religion elsewhere, it’s still very important to teach your children their faith yourself at home, which the church highly recommends,
although maybe you already do that, but either way, i would definitely recommend those books in particular.

alright, hope this helps, take care.
 
Domine, non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum:
Lord, not I am worthy, that you enter under roof my:
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sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.
but just say by word, and will be healed soul my.
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This is an expression of faith and might be better understood in the context of communion if we look at the three types of receiving per Catechism of Trent: (note spiritual communion is included that ties in with the Roman centurion prayer)
Recipient of the Eucharist
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Threefold Manner Of Communicating
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That the faithful may learn to be zealous for the better gifts, they must be shown who can obtain these abundant fruits from the Holy Eucharist, must be reminded that there is not only one way of communicating. Wisely and rightly, then, did our predecessors in the faith, as we read in the Council of Trent, distinguish three ways of receiving this Sacrament.
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Some receive it sacramentally only. Such are those sinners who do not fear to approach the holy mysteries with polluted lips and heart, who, as the Apostle says, eat and drink the Lord’s body unworthily. Of this class of communicants St. Augustine says: He who dwells not in Christ, and in whom Christ dwells not, most certainly does not eat spiritually His flesh, although carnally and visibly he press with his teeth the Sacrament of His flesh and blood. Those, therefore, who receive the sacred mysteries with such a disposition, not only obtain no fruit therefrom, but, as the Apostle himself testifies, eat and drink judgment to themselves.
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Others are said to receive the Eucharist** in spirit only.** They are those who, inflamed with a lively faith which worketh by charity,’ partake in wish and desire of that celestial bread offered to them, from which they receive, if not the entire, at least very great fruits.
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Lastly, there are some who receive the Holy Eucharist both sacramentally and spiritually, those who, according to the teaching of the Apostle, having first proved themselves and having approached this divine banquet adorned with the nuptial garment, derive from the Eucharist those most abundant fruits which we have already described. Hence it is clear that those who, having it in their power to receive with fitting preparation the Sacrament of the body of the Lord, are yet satisfied with a spiritual Communion only, deprive themselves of the greatest and most heavenly advantages.
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Likewise, the Penitential Rite of the Mass, wherein the priest asks us to call to mind our sins, then we recite the Confiteor (I confess to Almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters…), then the priest prays for our forgiveness, is NOT a substitute for Sacramental Confession.
 
By the way, long ago, when I was little, we used to say, “…and my soul shall be healed”. I was convinced it was about feet!
 
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