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A. Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist:
- To unite us to Himself and to nourish our soul with His divine life.
- To increase sanctifying grace and all virtues in our soul.
- To lessen our evil inclinations.
- To be a pledge of everlasting life.
- To fit our bodies for a glorious resurrection.
- To continue the sacrifice of the Cross in His Church.
A. The Holy Eucharist remits venial sins by disposing us to perform acts of
love and contrition. It preserves us from mortal sin by exciting us to greater
fervor and strengthening us against temptation.
A. We are united to Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist by means of Holy
Communion.
A. Holy Communion is the receiving of the body and blood of Christ.
A. It is not beneath the dignity of Our Lord to enter our bodies under the
appearance of ordinary food any more than it was beneath His dignity to enter
the body of His Blessed Mother and remain there as an ordinary child for nine
months. Christ's dignity, being infinite, can never be diminished by any act on
His own or on our part.
A. The Church does not give Holy Communion to the people as it does to the
priest under the appearance of wine also, to avoid the danger of spilling the
Precious Blood; to prevent the irreverence some might show if compelled to
drink out of a chalice used by all, and lastly, to refute those who denied that
Our Lord's blood is present under the appearance of bread also.
A. To make a good Communion it is necessary to be in the state of sanctifying
grace and to fast according to the laws of the Church.
A. A person who through forgetfulness or any other cause has broken the fast
necessary for Holy Communion, should again fast and receive Holy Communion the
following morning if possible, without returning to confession. It is not a
sin to break one's fast, but it would be a mortal sin to receive Holy Communion
after knowingly breaking the fast necessary for it.
A. He who receives Communion in mortal sin receives the body and blood of
Christ, but does not receive His grace, and he commits a great sacrilege.
A. To receive plentifully the graces of Holy Communion it is not enough to be
free from mortal sin, but we should be free from all affection to venial sin,
and should make acts of lively faith, of firm hope, and ardent love.
A. The fast necessary for Holy Communion is the abstaining from food, alcoholic
drinks and non-alcoholic drinks for one hour before Holy Communion. Water does
not break the fast.
A. Medicine does not break the fast; food taken by accident within one hour
before Communion breaks the fast.
A. To protect the Blessed Sacrament from insult or injury, or when in danger of
death, Holy Communion may be received without fasting.
A. When the Holy Communion is given to one in danger of death, it is called
Viaticum, and is given with its own form of prayer. In giving Holy Communion
the priest says: "May the body of Our Lord Jesus Christ guard your soul to
eternal life." In giving Holy Viaticum he says: "Receive, brother (or sister),
the Viaticum of the body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which will guard you from
the wicked enemy and lead you into eternal life."
A. We are bound to receive Holy Communion, under pain of mortal sin, during the
Easter time and when in danger of death.
A. It is well to receive Holy Communion often, as nothing is a greater aid to a
holy life than often to receive the Author of all grace and the Source of all
good.
A. We shall know how often we shall receive Holy Communion only from the advice
of our confessor, by whom we must be guided, and whom we must strictly obey in
this as well as in all matters concerning the state of our soul.
A. A spiritual communion is an earnest desire to receive Communion in reality,
by which desire we make all preparations and thanksgivings that we would make
in case we really received the Holy Eucharist. Spiritual Communion is an act
of devotion that must be pleasing to God and bring us blessings from Him.
A. After Holy Communion we should spend some time in adoring Our Lord, in
thanking Him for the grace we have received, and in asking Him for the
blessings we need.
A. We should spend sufficient time in Thanksgiving after Holy Communion to show
due reverence to the Blessed Sacrament; for Our Lord is personally with us as
long as the appearance of bread and wine remains.
A. When receiving Holy Communion we should be particular:
- (1) About the respectful manner in which we approach and return from the
altar;
- (2) About our personal appearance, especially neatness and cleanliness;
- (3) About raising our head, opening our mouth and putting forth the tongue
in the proper manner;
- (4) About swallowing the Sacred Host;
- (5) About removing it carefully with the tongue, in case it should stick to
the mouth, but never with the finger under any circumstances.
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