The Receiving of the Holy Eucharist

The Holy Eucharist, usually called the Blessed Sacrament, is received sacramentally by one who actuallyconsumes the sacred species. It is received spiritually by one who, through faith and charity, desires to receive itsacramentally.

Man alone may receive this sacrament spiritually. The angels see Christ in his own species, and they desire him so, and possess him so. Only man can desire our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

Our Lord is actually present in the Holy Eucharist;therefore, he who receives this sacrament, receives Christ. Eventhough a sinner receives sacrilegiously, he receives Christ. It is entirely mistaken to say that when the sacred species are touched by the lips of a sinner, Christ ceases to be present.

If a person conscious of mortal sin receives this sacrament, he “eateth and drinketh judgment to himself”(I Cor. 11:29). Such receiving adds to the sin already on the receiver’s soul, the new mortal sin of sacrilege.

Unbelief and blasphemy, which involve contempt of God,are, in themselves, greater sins than the sin of receiving the Holy Eucharist unworthily. Of course, unworthy receiving of the Eucharist may be accompanied by blasphemy and contemptuousunbelief, and so it becomes the greatest of sins. But, in itself,although a very grave sin, a sacrilegious Communion is not the greatest of sins.

A priest is to deny the Holy Eucharist to notorious public sinners, but not to occult sinners who ask to receive this sacrament.

What occurs in sleep is never perfectly voluntary, and hence is not gravely sinful. Yet sometimes a sense of propriety orbecomingness suggests that one refrain from receiving the Holy Eucharist after an unfortunate occurrence during sleep.

Except in cases of persons sick or unable to fast, itis the practice of the Church to require a fast before the receiving of Holy Eucharist.

People who have always been devoid of the use of reason, or who have become insane, are not to be given the Holy Eucharist. If an insane person once was sane and had faith and reverence for God, he is not to be denied the Holy Eucharist at the hour of death, provided there is no danger of his ejecting the sacred host. Feeble-minded persons who have some knowledge of the Blessed Sacrament, and some degree of devotion, are to be admitted to Holy Communion.

St. Augustine says (De Verb. Dom. Serm. 28):“This is our daily Bread; take it daily that it may perfect thee daily.” Those who are properly disposed should receive the Holy Eucharist as frequently as possible.

No one can lawfully abstain altogether from the Holy Eucharist. The Church demands a worthy Communion at least once yearly. And our Lord himself says (John 6:54): “Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you shall not have life in you.”

It is a wise provision of the Church that this sacrament can be received under one form only. Reverence for the sacrament, added to the difficulty of reserving and distributing the sacred species, has suggested that the faithful receive our Lord under the form of bread alone. This is the practice of the Latin Church. The sacrament is confected in bread and wine in Holy Mass, and is received under both forms by the sacrificingpriest.