Mortal Sin and the Eucharist

I made a promise, with God as my witness, when I converted to Catholicism. The promise I made is simple, direct, and meaningful; actually, it’s more of a prayer than a statement:

Lord God, the Father, help me to live every day of my life in such a way that I never separate myself from Holy Communion. Amen.

Thanks to God,  I’m still able to live out that promise almost fifty years later. It has not been easy. It has required some hard decisions, but with the help of our Lord, I’ve stayed the course. I have the same internal peace of soul now that I had when I first converted. This sense of peace serves to guide and keep me on the right path.

The State of Grace

As every Catholic should know, we should be in a “state of grace” and fast one hour before receiving the Eucharist. However, when was the last time you heard the expressions the state of grace or mortal sin? These are not everyday words we use today. Most of us don’t hear it from the pulpit and I suspect many religious education programs skip or substitute these terms for more modern expressions but does it really matter, so long as the concept is understood?

The problem is that the concept of a state of grace can be expressed in many different ways but such diversity does not add clarity to the definition. However, the true definition of mortal sin is precise; there is no gray area. Mortal sin kills the grace of God in our souls, and unless we repent we live eternally without God:

Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1855).

The Lord implores us to be careful in the way we use His grace.  If there is any doubt if you are in mortal sin or not, refrain from the Eucharist and go to confession ASAP. Don’t worry whether or not a serious sin is mortal or not, or if a particular sin is venial or mortal. Approach the Eucharist without sin to the best of your ability because to receive the Eucharist without being in the State of Grace is to compound and strengthen the sin and commit a sacrilege.

Prepare to Receive the Eucharist

St. Paul exhorts us to properly prepare ourselves for the reception of Holy Communion:

Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are ill and infirm, and a considerable number are dying. If we discerned ourselves, we would not be under judgment; but since we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined (1 Corinthians 11:27-32).

Clearly, it is not beneficial to receive the Eucharist carelessly or without a proper examination of conscience.

Conscience

A properly developed conscience is our internal guide. Like a lighthouse, there to guide and keep us from a shipwreck. If our lighthouse is properly maintained, it will serve us well; but if the lights grow dim, we are headed for serious trouble. When I receive the Eucharist who determines the state of my soul? I must judge myself, as we all must, and the best guide is our conscience. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines the role of conscience:

Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment…For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God…His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths (CCC 1776).

Yes, I need to know, to the best of my ability, that I’m in a state-of-grace before I receive the Eucharist, whether or not I’ve heard the term and have been taught the definition; God created us with a conscience and what we do with that conscience is our responsibility. If we dull our conscience with repetitive sin, then we suffer the consequences of a “weak” conscience.

I have to judge myself each time I receive the Eucharist. If in doubt, I need to recite an act of contrition,  refrain from receiving the Eucharist, and go to confession ASAP, even if it means not waiting for Saturday and calling the parish office for an appointment. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states clearly that:

Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before going to communion (CCC 1385).

Questions

A question that comes to mind in the self-examination process is if I can deceive myself,  judging that I’m in a state of grace when I’m not?

Are there some Catholics receiving the Eucharist who, objectively speaking, are in mortal sin, yet deny it, or redefine some aspect of doctrine, twisting the truth, until there is an alignment with a deformed conscience? Unfortunately, yes, it is possible.

Can a Catholic who believes that abortion is alright in some circumstances is pro-choice still receive the Eucharist? From the same platform questions regarding the LGBTQ community and receiving the Eucharist are also unavoidable.

It is clearly our responsibility to educate our conscience and avoid self-deception because, in the end,  we will see truth face to face and our conscience shall be our witness before Christ in either defending or accusing us regarding the way we have lived our life. St. Paul clearly explains the role of conscience on our day of judgment as follows:

They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts ACCUSE or even DEFEND them on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge people’s hidden works through Christ Jesus (Romans 2: 15-16).

Compassion For Those Who Cannot Receive

Let us remember, with compassion, the Catholics who faithfully attend Mass yet are separated from receiving the Eucharist through circumstances or choices in their life. They know what the Eucharist is, have no desire to leave the Church, but find themselves unable to fully participate in the sacramental life. I pray that through the grace of God that these Catholics are able to align their lives with the Eucharist, and therefore with Christ.