A
Arturo_Ortiz
Guest
I thought I should post this as a reminder
Lately I have been studying books dealing with the Eucharist and the Mass in general. I have also been studying about the Eucharist itself.
Something that just came to me that it has not done so much in the past is the fact that many times we don’t examine our conscience before receiving Holy Communion. There are many quotes from saints and Scripture passages that describe this very thing. Some of the most profound ones include
From Saint Thomas Aquinas on being a false person
" We are false when the inmost self does not correspond to what is expressed externally. The sacrament of the Eucharist is an external sign that Christ is incorporated into the one who receives him and he into Christ. One is false if in his heart he does not desire this union and does not even try to remove every obstacle to it. Christ therefore does not remain in him, neither does he in Christ.
" As Christ’s Passion does not produce its effect on those who do not hold him as they should, so also those do not attain heaven through this sacrament who receive him unworthily". Accordingly Augustine writes, " The sacrament is one thing, its virtue another. Many receive from the altar and, receiving it, are dead. Eat therefore heavenly bread, carry innocence to the altar." S it is not surprising that those who do not keep a pure heart fail to gain the effect of the sacrament.
(1Corinthians 11:27-29)
Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgement on himself.
St. John Chrysostom
I beseech, beg, and implore that no one draw near to this sacred table with a sullied and corrupt conscience. Such an act, in fact, can never be called “communion” not even were we to touch the Lord’s body a thousand times over, but “condemnation” torment", and increase of punishment"
This does not mean we should be scared about receiving Holy Communion, but we should be cautious about our state of grace. Just today at Sunday Mass I felt tempted sexually with a lot of intrusive thoughts, but I still ended up taking the Eucharist. I did so because I honestly felt that I did not want these thoughts. The point though is simply that we should be prepared.
The above people for that matter are reminded us that when we ought to receive the Eucharist we need to evaluate whether we have commited mortal sin, or if we really believe in the True Presence.
Lately I have been studying books dealing with the Eucharist and the Mass in general. I have also been studying about the Eucharist itself.
Something that just came to me that it has not done so much in the past is the fact that many times we don’t examine our conscience before receiving Holy Communion. There are many quotes from saints and Scripture passages that describe this very thing. Some of the most profound ones include
From Saint Thomas Aquinas on being a false person
" We are false when the inmost self does not correspond to what is expressed externally. The sacrament of the Eucharist is an external sign that Christ is incorporated into the one who receives him and he into Christ. One is false if in his heart he does not desire this union and does not even try to remove every obstacle to it. Christ therefore does not remain in him, neither does he in Christ.
" As Christ’s Passion does not produce its effect on those who do not hold him as they should, so also those do not attain heaven through this sacrament who receive him unworthily". Accordingly Augustine writes, " The sacrament is one thing, its virtue another. Many receive from the altar and, receiving it, are dead. Eat therefore heavenly bread, carry innocence to the altar." S it is not surprising that those who do not keep a pure heart fail to gain the effect of the sacrament.
(1Corinthians 11:27-29)
Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgement on himself.
St. John Chrysostom
I beseech, beg, and implore that no one draw near to this sacred table with a sullied and corrupt conscience. Such an act, in fact, can never be called “communion” not even were we to touch the Lord’s body a thousand times over, but “condemnation” torment", and increase of punishment"
This does not mean we should be scared about receiving Holy Communion, but we should be cautious about our state of grace. Just today at Sunday Mass I felt tempted sexually with a lot of intrusive thoughts, but I still ended up taking the Eucharist. I did so because I honestly felt that I did not want these thoughts. The point though is simply that we should be prepared.
The above people for that matter are reminded us that when we ought to receive the Eucharist we need to evaluate whether we have commited mortal sin, or if we really believe in the True Presence.
It would take a long time for me to get onto my knees, and then I could not rise again without help. (I don’t even kneel in the “pews” when they aren’t pews but chairs with kneelers. It would be disruptive when, in pulling myself up, I make the chair go over backwards. 
)
