To share or not to share?

[Avood]

I’m sure that there have been other posts regarding this topic but I was reading an article from catholicnews.com about the Pope meeting with Lutherans in Germany and it sparked a question in my mind.
We do not share the Eucharist with people who are not Catholic because we believe that It IS the body and blood of Christ. I know this, and for people who think that we are “stuck up” or whatever they might say I have in the past used the example that we also believe even Catholics should not receive if they are not in the proper spiritual state (mortal sin).
My thought was in short that, would it not be possible to think that the power of the sacrament, and sharing in the Eucharist with us, would be something that could change someone from the inside? I am not trying to change the rules just thought it was a good conversation. Jesus worked miracles and tried to save everyone and one might say that being united through the Eucharist with him would be opening up a spiritual door to Him.
I already can see the replies that are going to come so I want to state again that I understand and am an advocate for our stance as Catholics, just something to discuss and think about.

Here is the link to the article catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1103794.htm

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I do not believe it would. A just had a similar conversation with a protestant friend who complained (gently) about our ‘closed communion’. However, if she were able to receive communion at a Catholic Mass, she would not think of it any differently than she does communion in her own church. It would be the teaching about the Catholic view that might change her mind and heart. She can hear and learn this teaching without receiving communion. And in fact, that she was able to receive before she believed would actually undermine the teaching.

 

[thistle]

I’m sure that there have been other posts regarding this topic but I was reading an article from catholicnews.com about the Pope meeting with Lutherans in Germany and it sparked a question in my mind.
We do not share the Eucharist with people who are not Catholic because we believe that It IS the body and blood of Christ. I know this, and for people who think that we are “stuck up” or whatever they might say I have in the past used the example that we also believe even Catholics should not receive if they are not in the proper spiritual state (mortal sin).
My thought was in short that, would it not be possible to think that the power of the sacrament, and sharing in the Eucharist with us, would be something that could change someone from the inside? I am not trying to change the rules just thought it was a good conversation. Jesus worked miracles and tried to save everyone and one might say that being united through the Eucharist with him would be opening up a spiritual door to Him.
I already can see the replies that are going to come so I want to state again that I understand and am an advocate for our stance as Catholics, just something to discuss and think about.

Here is the link to the article catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1103794.htm

No and that is not a good argument because you could extend that to saying Catholics in a state of mortal sin should receive Communion because it might make them decide to go to Confession.

 

[lutherlic]

Lutherans are not in communion with us. We can’t offer the Eucharist for hospitality. It is not ours to offer, but Christ.

Note too that not all Lutherans have an “open table”. Here in the US, the second largest synod (LCMS) has a closed table. I doubt that they would be any more interested in receiving communion from us than we are in receiving from them.

Finally, the Lutheran understanding of the Eucharist, while close, is slightly different from ours. We believe in transubstantiation while they believe in sacramental unity (which we sometimes call “consubstantiation”). (Of course, to us they lack valid holy orders so despite their intention, lack the real presence. They certainly see this differently.)

 

[Spirithound]

My thought was in short that, would it not be possible to think that the power of the sacrament, and sharing in the Eucharist with us, would be something that could change someone from the inside?

This is a good conversation to have every now and then (that is, amongst ourselves…).

Grace comes in two kinds, sanctifying grace, and actual grace. Sanctifying grace is conferred in the sacraments. However, when we are in a state of grace, it is the grace towards holiness, but when we are in a state of mortal sin, it is the grace towards damnation.

What you want for our separated brethren is the actual grace to conversion, which is a very good thing, however there is no way to separate the actual graces of the sacrament from the sanctifying grace. So, Holy Communion must be reserved only for those properly disposed.

 

[m134e5]

I’m sure that there have been other posts regarding this topic but I was reading an article from catholicnews.com about the Pope meeting with Lutherans in Germany and it sparked a question in my mind.
We do not share the Eucharist with people who are not Catholic because we believe that It IS the body and blood of Christ. I know this, and for people who think that we are “stuck up” or whatever they might say I have in the past used the example that we also believe even Catholics should not receive if they are not in the proper spiritual state (mortal sin).
My thought was in short that, would it not be possible to think that the power of the sacrament, and sharing in the Eucharist with us, would be something that could change someone from the inside? I am not trying to change the rules just thought it was a good conversation. Jesus worked miracles and tried to save everyone and one might say that being united through the Eucharist with him would be opening up a spiritual door to Him.
I already can see the replies that are going to come so I want to state again that I understand and am an advocate for our stance as Catholics, just something to discuss and think about.

Nothing good can come from receiving communion sacrilegiously.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

I’m sure that there have been other posts regarding this topic but I was reading an article from catholicnews.com about the Pope meeting with Lutherans in Germany and it sparked a question in my mind.
We do not share the Eucharist with people who are not Catholic because we believe that It IS the body and blood of Christ. I know this, and for people who think that we are “stuck up” or whatever they might say I have in the past used the example that we also believe even Catholics should not receive if they are not in the proper spiritual state (mortal sin).
My thought was in short that, would it not be possible to think that the power of the sacrament, and sharing in the Eucharist with us, would be something that could change someone from the inside? I am not trying to change the rules just thought it was a good conversation. Jesus worked miracles and tried to save everyone and one might say that being united through the Eucharist with him would be opening up a spiritual door to Him.
I already can see the replies that are going to come so I want to state again that I understand and am an advocate for our stance as Catholics, just something to discuss and think about.

Here is the link to the article catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1103794.htm

Another aspect to think about, which I don’t think any one has yet mentioned. One aspect of the Eucharist is that it is a symbol of our unity. Therefore sharing Communion with non-Catholics would be sharing a symbol of a unity that doesn’t exist.