21st Sunday, Eucharist & Confession

 

   

Our Lord had told His disciples, “I am the bread of life, he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, I will raise Him on the last day.”

His disciples took what He said literally and were murmuring saying, “This saying is hard, who can accept it?”

But Our Lord did not back down, He said, “My flesh is real food and blood real drink.”

He said, “It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some who do not believe.”

The flesh He is speaking of here is the worldly way of viewing things, whereas before, He was referring to the flesh of His body and blood.

Because they took Jesus literally, “many of His disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied Him.”

Jesus meant it literally, because He said, “Do you also want to leave?” Peter’s responds, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of everlasting life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

After the loaves were multiplied and given to the people, “they filled the wicker baskets with fragments from the five barely loaves…”

If Jesus was concerned about fragments left over from the multiplication of the loaves, how much more is He concerned about Particles from the Eucharist.

The Council of Trent states: “Nor should it be forgotten that Christ, whole and entire, is contained not only under either species, but also in each particle of either species.”

This is one of the reasons the ordinary manner, the Church desires we receive Communion is on the tongue. I will repeat. The ordinary manner the Church desires we receive Communion is on the tongue.

Particular bishops give an indult to receive on the hand. An indult is a permission. If we receive on the hand, after placing the Host in our mouth, we are to look for particles on the hand, and pick up the particles and consumes them. It’s a sin to knowingly allow particles to fall from our hands onto the floor.

You will notice today, the priest washes particles from his hands after giving Communion by pouring water over his fingers into the chalice. Linen purificators and corporals used during Mass are usually soaked overnight before washing to allow small particles of the Hosts to dissolve. Server patens are often used to catch small particles that may fall during the distribution of Holy Communion. We pay attention to every particle, no matter how small because each particle is whole and entire person of Jesus.

I humbly ask you to pray about receiving Communion on the tongue, to give Jesus the greatest possible reverence and respect. Ask Jesus, how He would like you to receive Holy Communion. According to scripture St. John the Apostle, took Mary into his home. He was a priest, he offered Mass, so the Virgin Mary would have received Communion from John. How do you think Mary received Jesus in Holy Communion? Most likely, on Her tongue.

When we receive Communion on the tongue, particles of the Sacred Host don’t fall to the ground. It’s a more humble way to receive the Eucharist, because we treat the Eucharist not as mere bread, but as to what it truly is, the real and true resurrected Jesus.

The Eucharist is a multiplication of the real physical presence of Jesus. It’s a miracle every person who comes to Mass is able to receive the real physical body of Christ in Holy Communion.

According to St. Alphonsus Liguori, Communion lasts at least 10 to 15 minutes before the Sacred Host is assimilated in the body. What a joy and consolation to have Jesus come to dwell within us.

In his letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul makes it very clear, that we cannot receive the Eucharist, in the state of mortal sin. He said, “Whoever, therefore, 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. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself.” (1 Corn. 11:27-29)

These words are proof, we are not eating bread at Mass. No! We are receiving the true body and blood of Jesus in Holy Communion. When we receive the Eucharist, after committing a mortal sin, such as missing Mass on Sunday, viewing pornography, committing adultery or impure actions or having relations before marriage, etc…, not only do we commit a sacrilegious communion, we commit another mortal sin and do not receive any graces whatsoever, but rather deeply offend our Lord.

If we have committed a mortal sin, we are required to go to Confession before we receive Holy Communion.

Catholics, should go to confession at least once a month. St. Padre Pio said we should confess once a week. Pope John Paul II, confessed every day.

Years ago, before I was a priest, I heard a priest erroneously say, we don’t need to go to Confession unless we commit a mortal sin. This is very bad advice.

In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the opposite. It states, CCC#1458 “Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church..” I will repeat it again, “confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.”

The Catechism goes on to tell why we should confess venial sins regularly. It states, “Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father's mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful: 

So, if we don’t confess frequently, our conscience is not formed well, we don’t receive grace to fight against evil tendencies and we can’t be sacramentally healed by Christ in Confession. We should receive the Eucharist, only in the state of grace and with a pure heart.

Here at Mass, and at every Mass, we will find infinite love, contained in the beating Heart of Jesus, truly present in the Eucharist. O Lord, we give you our love and we receive your love, through Your Mother’s intercession, help us to grow in our faith, confess venial sins frequently and receive Your flesh and blood in the Eucharist as often as possible.