Weak, sick and dying?

[Sheadad]

Just wondering, in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he speaks of those not discerning the body of Christ before receiving and says in first Corinth, 11:20 “for this reason many of you are weak and I’ll, and some have died.”. With all due respect to the faithful, I seriously doubt that many Catholic’s today, just as the in the time of Paul’s letter, are prepared to receive in the manner intended. Although many are properly aligned and free from mortal sin, I am wondering what your opinion is in respect to the “eating and drinking judgement on themselves” (St. Paul’s words 11:29)? In other words, is it possible that poor health and God’s assorted forms of other disciplines (in some) is a direct result of not discerning?

 

[Nelka]

1 Corinthians 11:

26 Whenever you eat this bread, then, and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 Therefore anyone who eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.

28 Everyone is to examine himself and only then eat of the bread or drink from the cup;

29 because a person who eats and drinks without recognising the body is eating and drinking his own condemnation.

He is talking about communion. Do not take if you are in mortal sin.

30 That is why many of you are weak and ill and a good number have died.

 

[St_Francis]

Just wondering, in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he speaks of those not discerning the body of Christ before receiving and says in first Corinth, 11:20 “for this reason many of you are weak and I’ll, and some have died.”. With all due respect to the faithful, I seriously doubt that many Catholic’s today, just as the in the time of Paul’s letter, are prepared to receive in the manner intended. Although many are properly aligned and free from mortal sin, I am wondering what your opinion is in respect to the “eating and drinking judgement on themselves” (St. Paul’s words 11:29)? In other words, is it possible that poor health and God’s assorted forms of other disciplines (in some) is a direct result of not discerning?

I wpuld venture as a possible explanation that St Paul was speaking figuratively in that he was referring to spiritual weakness, illness, and death (falling into mortal sin). I don’t think we can say that those who are physically ill necessarily have any sin in their backgroind which “caused” it. We generally see illness and other problems as part of living in a fallen world.

 

[JonathonofOhio]

Just wondering, in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he speaks of those not discerning the body of Christ … what your opinion is in respect to the “eating and drinking judgement on themselves” (St. Paul’s words 11:29)? In other words, is it possible that poor health and God’s assorted forms of other disciplines (in some) is a direct result of not discerning?

No, Paul is speaking of spiritual things here in regards to the Lords Supper. He is referring to the illness, weakness, and death of the spirit (loss of heaven). Mortal sin makes someone not fit to receive communion unless they confess their sin. A person also cannot receive communion unless they recognize that it IS TRULY the Body and Blood of Christ they are consuming.

Concerning that you feel the majority is not fit because they are not free from sin: A Catholic receives communion BECAUSE they are a sinner (they are forgiven their venial sins). A person examines him/herself prior to receiving communion and if they know that they have mortal sin and receive communion, they are eating and drinking judgment onto themselves.

As to your thoughts that a person is suffering physically because of sin, this was how the Jews thought and Jesus correct them in John 9:

1 AND Jesus passing by, saw a man, who was blind from his birth: 2 And his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who hath sinned, this man, or his parents, that he should be born blind? 3 Jesus answered: Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

Just because a person is suffering, doesn’t mean that God is punishing them for something that they did or the way they are living their lives. That person is suffering so that the works of God should be made manifest in them. See also 2 Corinthians 12, in which Paul talks about his own suffering.

 

[jcrichton]

Just wondering, in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he speaks of those not discerning the body of Christ before receiving and says in first Corinth, 11:20 “for this reason many of you are weak and I’ll, and some have died.”. With all due respect to the faithful, I seriously doubt that many Catholic’s today, just as the in the time of Paul’s letter, are prepared to receive in the manner intended. Although many are properly aligned and free from mortal sin, I am wondering what your opinion is in respect to the “eating and drinking judgement on themselves” (St. Paul’s words 11:29)? In other words, is it possible that poor health and God’s assorted forms of other disciplines (in some) is a direct result of not discerning?

Almost always there’s a duality in Scriptures (as with Jesus); too many times we want to know only of the “good” things (God is Love so He would not “X”…); as is evident from Scriptures, the early Church was witness to both Spiritual and corporal existence; there was a faster so to say turn-over period (Acts 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12); this was necessary due to two distinct reasons: a) the umbilical cord had to be cut as Christ’s Disciples had to stand alone as the True Body, and b) the Church had to suffer persecutions in order to grow and expand beyond the confines of the Jewish people.

St. Paul is speaking of a natural development (as in Acts 5:1 - 16) where Spiritual and temporal condemnation are signs of blasphemous act; as the Church grew in both members and Doctrinal Teachings, these temporal signs (as the great number of miracles) became less and less necessary.

Yet, though the temporal consequences are not always evident, our Spiritual Life will be affected as the sin of disBelief will not be forgiven!

Maran atha!

Angel

 

[razredge]

Just wondering, in St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he speaks of those not discerning the body of Christ before receiving and says in first Corinth, 11:20 “for this reason many of you are weak and I’ll, and some have died.”. With all due respect to the faithful, I seriously doubt that many Catholic’s today, just as the in the time of Paul’s letter, are prepared to receive in the manner intended. Although many are properly aligned and free from mortal sin, I am wondering what your opinion is in respect to the “eating and drinking judgement on themselves” (St. Paul’s words 11:29)? In other words, is it possible that poor health and God’s assorted forms of other disciplines (in some) is a direct result of not discerning?

Well, it’s important to realise that Paul is still a man of his times, so might be attributing sickness/death to the punishment of God to those who do not respect the Eucharist.

Paul and many of the other apostles also believed that the Second Coming would occur in their lifetimes which obviously didn’t happen either.

The Church has and continues to grow in it’s understanding of the life & death of Christ through the Holy Spirit.