Question:
Father. If God loves us all and accepts us as we are, why, to receive the sacred Host, are we supposed to be without any sin? We sin every day, and God is a merciful being who rejoices when His sheep return. I do not think God rejects you for this. Explain this to me!
Answer:
The Catechism (no. 1384) reminds us that “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.’ (Jn. 6:53.)”
But it also goes on to say (no. 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 Cor 11:27-29). Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.”
You say that God loves us all, and in this, you are right. But you then add, “and accepts us as we are,” and in this you are mistaken. God wants us to be holy. Jesus Christ did not begin His preaching by saying, “Stay as you are, because I accept you thus,” but rather, “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” And He gave His life for us on the Cross so that we might change our lives. If God wants everyone just as they are, then we should respect thieves and murderers because God wants them as they are—who are we to force them to change or to put them in prison?
Saint Paul himself says (and this is cited in the Catechism text) that whoever eats the Body or Blood of Christ “in an unworthy manner” will be guilty and eat and drink judgment upon himself.
For this reason, the Catechism adds (no. 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 Chrysostom 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.”‘”
Fr. Miguel A. Fuentes, IVE
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