SIn and Eucharist

[billcu1]

The way I a lay person understand it is this. If for various reasons someone has not taken part in the Eucharist, you lose strength. Starve if you will. And probably would after 6,9, or 12 months if you didn’t take part in Mass and didn’t commit mortal sin; simply fall back into sin. Is that what would happen? Say I had some legitimate reason working or something, for example. And I went 6 months without the body and blood. I would be back into sin. Is that the way it happens?

 

[CB_Catholic]

The way I a lay person understand it is this. If for various reasons someone has not taken part in the Eucharist, you lose strength. Starve if you will. And probably would after 6,9, or 12 months if you didn’t take part in Mass and didn’t commit mortal sin; simply fall back into sin. Is that what would happen? Say I had some legitimate reason working or something, for example. And I went 6 months without the body and blood. I would be back into sin. Is that the way it happens?

Not necessarily. If for some unavoidable reason you could not attend Mass and receive Holy Communion it is possible to keep your faith and avoid falling into sin by a regular and strong prayer life, regular examination of conscience, etc. There are Catholics who have very limited access to a priest because of their location, or those who are ill and have no access to Mass or Communion, or perhaps they are POW’s who have no access to a priest, etc.

What happens is up to you with the help of God’s grace.

And don’t forget–there are many non-Catholic or non-Orthodox Christians who love Jesus Christ very much, but do not have Mass and the Eucharist, and they aren’t falling into sin because of their strong faith and prayer life and live very holy lives. I have more than a few relatives like that.

 

[billcu1]

Not necessarily. If for some unavoidable reason you could not attend Mass and receive Holy Communion it is possible to keep your faith and avoid falling into sin by a regular and strong prayer life, regular examination of conscience, etc. There are Catholics who have very limited access to a priest because of their location, or those who are ill and have no access to Mass or Communion, or perhaps they are POW’s who have no access to a priest, etc.

What happens is up to you with the help of God’s grace.

And don’t forget–there are many non-Catholic or non-Orthodox Christians who love Jesus Christ very much, but do not have Mass and the Eucharist, and they aren’t falling into sin because of their strong faith and prayer life and live very holy lives. I have more than a few relatives like that.

I’ve been told that the Body and Blood is our lifeline. If we do not partake in that you get weaker. IDK what that means then.

 

[pianistclare]

I’ve been told that the Body and Blood is our lifeline. If we do not partake in that you get weaker. IDK what that means then.

It means…why would you pass on it if in a state of grace?

 

[DeniseNY]

I don’t think so.

When I returned to the Church 4 years ago, it took me a lot of time to get up the courage to go to confession (and having about 30 years of sins to confess made it even more daunting!). I couldn’t receive, but there were mortal sins which I had resolved to give up and I am blessed to say, I did.

 

[Reuben_J]

The way I a lay person understand it is this. If for various reasons someone has not taken part in the Eucharist, you lose strength. Starve if you will. And probably would after 6,9, or 12 months if you didn’t take part in Mass and didn’t commit mortal sin; simply fall back into sin. Is that what would happen? Say I had some legitimate reason working or something, for example. And I went 6 months without the body and blood. I would be back into sin. Is that the way it happens?

I concur. Missing mass on Sundays and days of obligation deliberately without compelling reasons are sins. Not going for mass for a long period would make our souls weak, ‘for without my body and blood, there’s no life in you’.

Thus weighed by the burden of sins and without food that nurture the life of our soul, we will be weak progressively.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

The Church requires you recieve once a year.

That is the minimum.

 

[billcu1]

The Church requires you recieve once a year.

That is the minimum.

For confession or Eucharist?

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

For confession or Eucharist?

Both

 

[Reuben_J]

The Church requires you recieve once a year.

That is the minimum.

That’s of course assuming that one still attends the mass in all Sundays and days of obligation in which one’s obligation is already fulfilled. Receiving Holy Communion is not always necessary or required as one has to satisfy the requirement for receiving, but attending the mass is.

 

[thistle]

Both

No. You are only required to confess mortal sins. If you have not committed any mortal sins in a 12 month period you do not obliged to to confess.
Receiving the Eucharist is required once a year during the Easter period. If, however, you are in a state of mortal sin you would be required to confess before receiving the Eucharist.

CCC 1457 According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of discretion, each of the **faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.**” Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.

 

[Vico]

The way I a lay person understand it is this. If for various reasons someone has not taken part in the Eucharist, you lose strength. Starve if you will. And probably would after 6,9, or 12 months if you didn’t take part in Mass and didn’t commit mortal sin; simply fall back into sin. Is that what would happen? Say I had some legitimate reason working or something, for example. And I went 6 months without the body and blood. I would be back into sin. Is that the way it happens?

Catechism:

1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. “Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.” 134

While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call “light”: if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, confession. 135​

**1394 **As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away venial sins. 231 By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and enables us to break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves in him:

Since Christ died for us out of love, when we celebrate the memorial of his death at the moment of sacrifice we ask that love may be granted to us by the coming of the Holy Spirit. We humbly pray that in the strength of this love by which Christ willed to die for us, we, by receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, may be able to consider the world as crucified for us, and to be ourselves as crucified to the world. . . . Having received the gift of love, let us die to sin and live for God. 232
1395 By the same charity that it enkindles in us, the Eucharist preserves us from future mortal sins. The more we share the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult it is to break away from him by mortal sin. The Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins - that is proper to the sacrament of Reconciliation. The Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion with the Church.​

 

[billcu1]

Catechism:

1863 Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. “Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.” 134

While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call “light”: if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, confession. 135​

**1394 **As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away venial sins. 231 By giving himself to us Christ revives our love and enables us to break our disordered attachments to creatures and root ourselves in him:

Since Christ died for us out of love, when we celebrate the memorial of his death at the moment of sacrifice we ask that love may be granted to us by the coming of the Holy Spirit. We humbly pray that in the strength of this love by which Christ willed to die for us, we, by receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, may be able to consider the world as crucified for us, and to be ourselves as crucified to the world. . . . Having received the gift of love, let us die to sin and live for God. 232
1395 By the same charity that it enkindles in us, the Eucharist preserves us from future mortal sins. The more we share the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult it is to break away from him by mortal sin. The Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins - that is proper to the sacrament of Reconciliation. The Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion with the Church.​

When going regularly to the Mass I would think and partaking in the body and blood. Venial sin is disposed of. So it needs to be done. Many venial sins dispose to mortal sin if I am understanding correctly. I wouldn’t make it 12 months or even 6. I think I’d end up in mortal sin.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

No. You are only required to confess mortal sins. If you have not committed any mortal sins in a 12 month period you do not obliged to to confess.
Receiving the Eucharist is required once a year during the Easter period. If, however, you are in a state of mortal sin you would be required to confess before receiving the Eucharist.

CCC 1457 According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.” Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.

So if I commit mortal sin in January I should confess it before December!? That makes no sense.

 

[thistle]

So if I commit mortal sin in January I should confess it before December!? That makes no sense.

No. If you commit a mortal sin in January you must confess before the Easter period ends as you are required to take Communion during the Easter period.

While confessing regularly is a good thing you are not required to confess if you have not committed a mortal sin.

The once a year requirement is to receive the Eucharist.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

No. You are only required to confess mortal sins. If you have not committed any mortal sins in a 12 month period you do not obliged to to confess.
Receiving the Eucharist is required once a year during the Easter period. If, however, you are in a state of mortal sin you would be required to confess before receiving the Eucharist.

CCC 1457 According to the Church’s command, “after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.” Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession. Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.

No. If you commit a mortal sin in January you must confess before the Easter period ends as you are required to take Communion during the Easter period.

While confessing regularly is a good thing you are not required to confess if you have not committed a mortal sin.

The once a year requirement is to receive the Eucharist.

That makes no sense to me. Obviously the Church. Would want you to confess ASAP as the soul is in danger of damnation.

Ok so if I commit adultery in July. I’m good until after Easter? I can just walk into Mass and not recieve because hey, I don’t have to confess until Easter!?

There are other threads where posters have hashed this out. The church requires confession once a year.

 

[billcu1]

So if I commit mortal sin in January I should confess it before December!? That makes no sense.

What is the “age of discretion” ? When you are confirmed? I know babies are baptized and that’s valid.

 

[Vico]

What is the “age of discretion” ? When you are confirmed? I know babies are baptized and that’s valid.

Some never attain the use of reason, there may be a mental problem. They are not culpable. Canon law states (CIC):

Can. 11 Merely ecclesiastical laws bind those who have been baptized in the Catholic Church or received into it, possess the efficient use of reason, and, unless the law expressly provides otherwise, have completed seven years of age.

Can. 97 §1. A person who has completed the eighteenth year of age has reached majority; below this age, a person is a minor.

§2. A minor before the completion of the seventh year is called an infant and is considered not responsible for oneself (non sui compos). With the completion of the seventh year, however, a minor is presumed to have the use of reason.

 

[Vico]

So if I commit mortal sin in January I should confess it before December!? That makes no sense.

It is an annual minimum (formerly called Easter duty of confession and communion), some live remotely and do not have easy access to the sacraments. An inward act of perfect contrition should be made as soon as possible, followed by sacramental confession.

 

[thistle]

That makes no sense to me. Obviously the Church. Would want you to confess ASAP as the soul is in danger of damnation.

Ok so if I commit adultery in July. I’m good until after Easter? I can just walk into Mass and not recieve because hey, I don’t have to confess until Easter!?

There are other threads where posters have hashed this out. The church requires confession once a year.

I didn’t say you should only confess once a year. I said its NOT A REQUIREMENT at all to confess unless you are in a state of mortal sin. The soul if only in danger of damnation if you commit a mortal sin. Why would anyone be REQUIRED to confess if they are in a state of grace.

You are NOT required to confess once a year. You are required to receive Communion once a year during the Easter period so obviously if you are in a state of mortal sin you would have to confess before receiving.

Show me the Church document - Canon Law, CCC or whatever that states we are REQUIRED to confess once a year even if we are in a state of grace.

Remember this thread is about what we are required to do and not what we are encouraged to do. There is a difference.