“But many today have reduced Holy Communion to a mere sign of hospitality”
I discussed this topic with the Priest several weeks ago. Jesus did not turn away the unclean, but welcomed them to redemption and union. He ate with the sinners as they needed Him.
True Communion involves the Holy Spirit moving in. If an unclean person asks for the Holy Spirit, they may get more than they bargain for as the process of the Holy Spirit removing the sin is mighty uncomfortable. When this happened to me my body shook like a dog who just climbed from the pond. There is good reason as to why the Quakers and Shakers earned their names. It’s reality. For someone unclean to receive Holy Communion, it is an uncomfortable cleansing process. But then again, we are now in the “Tide Pod” generation of cleansing within!!!
Jesus stated, “I have not come to judge, but to save.” Are we better than Jesus to judge people as worthy or unworthy?
Just as the worst sin is to blasphemy and reject the Holy Spirit, who are we to block someone as being undeserving of it. The words that keep ringing in my ears are, “As we judge others, we too are judged.”
Excellent thought provoking article. Thank you for sharing it.
Such divisions do not make for a family meal or a “sacrum convivium.” Hence, to share Holy Communion with Protestants, dissenters, and others who do not live in communion with the Church is incoherent. To paraphrase Cardinal Ratzinger (Pope Benedict), the Eucharist is not a table fellowship with publicans and other “sinners”; it is a family meal that presupposes grace and shared faith.
It is not communion with the Church, (and by this they mean Roman Catholic) that is the issue. The issue is if the person is a follower of Christ.
If the person professes faith in Christ, and only Christ, they are able to participate in communion.
One of Monsignors Pope’s best IMO. Receiving Holy Communion unworthily will not forgive mortal sins not confessed. Then you are just committing another mortal sin of sacrilege. I’ve often wondered about people just going up and the relationship of people who do not believe in the Real Presence. If you are receiving unworthily you will not receive the grace and will feel no different. Hence it is good to have a good examination of conscience guide. Only once, when confessing a mortal sin the priest then asked if I had continued to receive Holy Communion. I assured him no. He was being thorough to make sure I had confessed everything. Monsighnor Pope is a treasure.