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The
third sacrament of initiation: the holy Eucharist
PRAISED BE JESUS
CHRIST!
(Now and Forever)
Continuing the mystagogic series which I have been utilizing during this
Easter Season, this week we move on to the holy Eucharist. Like baptism
and confirmation, it is considered one of the three sacraments of
initiation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the holy
Eucharist completes the reception of the initiation sacraments (no.
1322). Made a member of the Church and reborn in baptism, configured
more deeply to Christ by the sacrament of confirmation, the Eucharist —
to quote the Second Vatican Council — is “the source and summit of
Catholic life.” In the reception of holy Communion, the recipient
celebrates his or her unity with the Catholic faith community.
The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council, in a document called The
Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium),
proclaimed: “At the Last Supper on the night he was betrayed, our Savior
instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did
in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages
until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved spouse, the
Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a
sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is
consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is
given to us.”
The word Eucharist refers both to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass
and holy Communion. There is also the Blessed Sacrament, Christ’s great
gift to the Church of his abiding presence among his people.
When we speak of the Eucharist as a third sacrament of initiation, the
reference is to holy Communion. It is holy Communion, ideally received
after the sacrament of confirmation, that completes the sacraments of
initiation. That (it’s called the sequential order) has not been the
general practice in our part of the world, although it has been
reintroduced in a few areas. But here is a most important, albeit
obvious, point: Holy Communion is received more than once. Jesus
declared “take this and eat it,” and we do.
Holy Communion can be distributed apart from Mass, but normatively it is
an integral part of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. We are urged to
receive Communion when we participate in Mass. So, in the course of a
Catholic’s life, holy Communion is received many times. Yet, holy
Communion is not only one of three sacraments of initiation, it is also
the last sacrament of the Catholic Church. In that context it is called
viaticum, the last reception of holy Communion at the time of death.
Viaticum means “passing over.” The person blessed with the last rites
passes to the Father from this world. With the sacrament of
reconciliation (confession) and the anointing of the sick, this last
reception of holy Communion (viaticum) constitutes the “last sacraments”
of the Catholic Church.
This tells us that our initiation is a lifelong process. It is not
something that ends after baptism, confirmation and our first Communion.
Our journey toward God begins with these three experiences, but in fact
the baptized and confirmed are constantly being called to deepen their
relationship with God.
Holy Communion received worthily increases our union with Christ. It
separates us from sin. Our love of God is intensified and therefore our
disordered attractions are weakened and even broken. Venial sins are
wiped away.
Holy Communion offers us strength (theologians call it “grace”) aimed at
preserving us from mortal sin. By deepening our relationship with
Christ, this sacrament makes it more difficult for us to break our union
with him by mortal sin. The more deeply one loves, the less likely one
is to repudiate or abuse love received.
Participation in the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice (the Mass)
is a source and means of grace even apart from the actual reception of
holy Communion. It also has long been understood that when circumstances
prevent one from receiving holy Communion during Mass, it is possible to
make a spiritual Communion. Spiritual Communion means uniting oneself in
prayer with Christ’s sacrifice and worshipping him present in his Body
and Blood. Many whose only option at a given Mass is to make a spiritual
Communion join the Communion procession, but indicate they are not
taking the host by crossing their arms over their chest. The Communion
minister then asks God to bless him or her.
Holy Communion during Mass should not be looked upon as a given,
automatic. There are criteria. To be eligible to receive holy Communion,
a person must be a baptized Catholic with sufficient knowledge and
preparation to distinguish the Body and Blood of Christ from ordinary
food. This is interpreted to mean a person has reached the use of
reason, typically set at age 7. Those who are excommunicated and others
who obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to receive holy
Communion. A person who is conscious of mortal sin is not eligible to
receive holy Communion without prior sacramental confession, unless a
grave reason is present and there is no opportunity of confessing.
Should that be the case, the person is to be mindful of the obligation
to make an act of perfect contrition, which must include the intention
of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation as soon as possible. There
is also a pre-Communion fast of one hour from food and liquids, with
water and medications being the exception. Chewing gum is inappropriate,
as are soiled hands. It is appropriate to note that the compendium to
the Catechism of the Catholic Church issued by the Vatican in 2006 adds
that it is also important for those receiving holy Communion to be in a
spirit of recollection and prayer and that their gestures and dress
reflect respect for the Blessed Sacrament.
Even as we rejoice over the gift of holy Communion, the words of St.
Paul need to be kept in mind: “Whoever … eats the bread or drinks the
cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the
Body and Blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27). That means that
before Communion, all are challenged to examine their consciences as to
their worthiness to receive the Body and Blood of our Lord. This
includes an embrace of the doctrines of the Church as well as its moral
teachings.
It follows then that although non-Catholic Christians and people of
other faith traditions are welcome to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, they are not considered eligible to receive holy Communion. To
take Communion would proclaim something that is not true: They are not
members of the Catholic faith community.
The inner drama at each Mass contributes to the process of our spiritual
transformation into Christ, a process begun in baptism. It all takes
time. We are on a lifelong journey. We are constantly being called to
conversion. When we receive holy Communion, we need to remember that
Christ is transforming us into himself. Our inner receptivity is
critical. To receive love, we need to be open to it. The sacrificial
gift of self at every Mass is the best way to be continuously
transformed into Christ.
Next week: thoughts about the sacrament of reconciliation. |
