Mary Rector
wrote:
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Hi guys,
Could you please explain why Catholics fast for one hour before receiving
Holy Communion?
Sincerely,
Mary Rector
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Could you please explain why Catholics fast for one hour before receiving Holy Communion? }
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Mike replied:
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Hi Mary,
Thanks for the question. The Catechism tells us that its to prepare for
the worthy reception of the Lord in Holy Communion.
My words: It's a mini-sacrifice of love for the maximum blessings we will
receive when, as St. Augustine states, He consumes us!
From the Catechism:
"Take this and eat it, all of you": Communion
1384 The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him
in the sacrament of the Eucharist:
"Truly, I say to you, unless
you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no
life in you."
John 6:53
1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great
and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience:
"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 Corinthians 11:23-29
Anyone conscious of a grave sin
must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.
1386 Before so great a sacrament, the faithful can only echo humbly and
with ardent faith the words of the Centurion:
Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum
meum, sed tantum dic verbo, et sanabitur anima mea.
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only
say the word and my soul will be healed.
And in the Divine Liturgy of St. John the faithful pray
in the same spirit:
O Son of God, bring me into communion today with your mystical
supper. I shall not tell your enemies the secret, nor kiss you with
Judas' kiss. But like the good thief I cry, "Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom."
1387 To prepare for worthy reception of this sacrament, the faithful
should observe the fast required in their Church.*** Bodily
demeanor (gestures, clothing) ought to convey the respect, solemnity,
and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest. |
*** Canon 919 §1 Whoever
is to receive the blessed Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour
before holy communion from all food and drink, with the sole exception
of water and medicine.
I believe, before Vatican Council II, the faithful had to fast from midnight
to when they received Our Blessed Lord on Sunday morning; in comparison,
an hour, in my opinion, isn't much : )
Hope this helps,
Mike
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Eric replied:
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Hi Mary,
Along the same line as my colleague responded, fasting accentuates the
importance of the event. It wakes us up and points to communion as something
special, not mundane, and not to be taken for granted.
Traditionally, fasting preceded important events: Easter and
other major feasts, Baptism, and so forth.
In a way, it also consecrates our stomach for God alone.
Fasting is also a biblical sign of penance, which we do before Communion
to express sorrow for our sins, reconciling ourselves to Him before receiving
Him in the Eucharist.
Eric
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