On the Worthy Reception of Holy Communion, Part 2
On the Worthy Reception of Christ in Holy Communion (Part 3)
by
Fr. John C. Garrett
This will be the final segment of my summary of the document, “Happy are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, published last November by the U.S. Bishops’ Conference. The first part focused on what the Church teaches about the Eucharist, and the second part focused on who may and may not receive Holy Communion. In this part will summarize the Bishops’ main purpose of the document.
HOW CAN WE PREPARE TO RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION MORE WORTHILY?
As has already been noted, the Mass is not a private devotion; it is not simply a private encounter between Jesus and the individual. “In a mystical manner, the whole Church is present in every celebration of the Mass, including the angels and the martyrs and saints of all ages” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). While the Mass is a communal act of worship, the benefit that each individual receives from the Mass depends on the way they approach the sacrament. The Bishops point out that there are two, interrelated ways by which we can foster worthy reception of Holy Communion: remote preparation and proximate preparation.
Remote Preparation
Remote preparation has to do with how we live our Christian faith every day. Some of the practices that the Bishops recommend by way of remote preparation includes:
- Regular Prayer and Scripture Reading: The Holy Spirit works through both of these to foster within us a love for Jesus and a desire to do God’s will in our lives. The Bishops especially recommend the Liturgy of the Hours, sometimes known as the Breviary. This is the official prayer of the Church, a means of sanctifying the entire day, that is required of priests and religious, but very beneficial for all the Faithful. I would also recommend prayerfully reading the Scriptures for the next Sunday.
- Faithful and Loving Fulfillment of the Duties and Responsibilities of our state of Life: The Second Vatican Council reaffirmed the ancient teaching of the Church concerning the Universal Call to Holiness. Whether we are single, married, professed religious or ordained; whether we are young or old, a student or worker, we are all called to live out our baptismal consecration. “It is by faithfully living out in our daily lives the call of the Gospel to love God and our neighbor – especially the poor and vulnerable – that we grow in charity, and so draw closer to Jesus and to one another” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).
- Daily repentance of sin and regular participation in the Sacrament of Penance: Sin weakens our communion with God and with one another. We are called to daily repentance and regular celebration of the Sacrament of Penance in order to overcome the damage caused by our sins. A daily examination of conscience and act of contrition, say before going to bed, can guide our repentance and foster a life of holiness. If our examination of conscience reveals that we have committed mortal sin, we must confess it in the Sacrament of Penance with true sorrow and a firm purpose of amendment before receiving Holy Communion.
Proximate Preparation
Proximate preparation has to do with how we prepare ourselves to come and participate in the Mass itself. The Bishops recommend the following:
- Prayerful Recollection: Prior to coming to Mass we should prayerfully recollect ourselves. We should allow ourselves enough time to arrive at the church several minutes early, not rushing in “just in time” for Mass, so that we can prepare our hearts and minds for the liturgy. We should maintain a reverent silence as we enter the church, so to ensure a peacefulness within ourselves and others as we get ready for Mass to begin. We should do our best to eliminate all distractions so that we can focus more fully on the great mystery of the Eucharistic celebration we are about to participate. In Latin, the Opening Prayer at Mass is called the Collect. Just as a priest has an intention for each Mass he celebrates, all those participating in the Mass should form an intention – ideally from the needs that they have become aware of in their daily activities – for the Mass, as a spiritual sacrifice, which the priest then “collects” and offers to our Heavenly Father in the Opening Prayer.
- The Eucharistic Fast: We are required to refrain from food and drink (except for water and medication) for at least one hour prior to receiving Holy Communion. “This fast demonstrates reverence and respect for the Body and Blood of Christ that we are going to receive. It also teaches us to hunger for Jesus in Holy Communion” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).
- Appropriate Attire: We should want to give God our best. As Christians we should dress in a modest manner. How we dress should reflect our reverence for God and manifest our respect for the dignity of the liturgy and one another.
The Bishops then go through the different parts of the Mass and explains how we can all be active and conscious participants in each part. I would like to call attention to how we approach the altar. “We are to approach the altar for Holy Communion with reverence, love, and awe as part of the Eucharistic procession of the faithful. This includes making a reverent bow of the head just before receiving Holy Communion, which expresses both our individual and communal adoration of Jesus in the Eucharist as well as acknowledgment of our belief in the Real Presence of Christ in Holy Communion” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006). Jesus gives Himself to us as a gift, and gifts are received, not taken. It is not appropriate to take the Host from the priest, deacon or Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. One may receive Communion on the tongue, or in the hand. To reverently receive in the hands one should place one hand under the other, chest high, to form a throne for the Lord (it goes without saying that our hands should be clean).
After receiving Holy Communion there should be a period of reverent silence to allow us to express our love and thanks to Jesus for His mercy and kindness. We should also ask our reception of Holy Communion become fruitful so that we can give glory to God in our lives, and witness to God’s goodness to the ends of the earth.
In Appendix B the Bishops address whether Catholics can receive Holy Communion in other Christian Churches and Ecclesial Communities. Of course Catholics, if they are properly disposed, may receive Holy Communion during any Eucharistic liturgy celebrated by a Church in full communion with the Pope. That would mean any Catholic church of the Roman rite or any of the Eastern rites.
If a Catholic, for a serious and legitimate reason, is unable to attend a Catholic Mass, and is able to avoid the danger of error and indifferentism, they may receive the Eucharist in those Churches that have valid sacraments. Practically this means that if there is a true spiritual necessity (not simply a desire) and a Catholic cannot make it to a Catholic Mass (either Roman rite or one of the Eastern rites), then can receive Holy Communion in the Orthodox Churches, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Polish National Church. However, the Bishops also instruct the Catholic Faithful to respect the disciplines of these other Churches which may restrict the reception of Holy Communion to their own members only (so while there are circumstances when the Catholic Church permits its members to receive Communion in these non-Catholic Churches, those Churches may not allow Catholics to receive Communion).
Finally, in the United States is might not be uncommon for a Catholic to be invited to participate in common worship with other Christian ecclesial communities (that means Protestants). Such opportunities can be effective means of promoting Christian unity, which is the expressed desire of Christ. When guests in Protestant worship services, Catholics are encouraged to join in the shared responses and the singing of hymns. However, it is NOT permitted for Catholics to receive communion in these ecclesial communities. “Because the celebration of the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day is of essential importance to Catholics, moreover, if participation in a non-Catholic service were to occur on a Sunday, it is important for Catholics to remember that the obligation to participate in a Catholic Mass still remains” (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper”: On Preparing to Receive Christ Worthily in the Eucharist, November 14, 2006).
