conscious of mortal sin, and having an opportunity of recurring to a confessor, however contrite he may deem himself, is to approach the Holy Eucharist, until he has been purified by sacramental confession. [1] We should also reflect in the silence of our own hearts, how unworthy we are that God should bestow on us this divine gift, and with the Centurion, of whom our Lord declared, that he found not " so great faith in Israel," we should exclaim: " Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst enter under my roof." [2] We should also put the question to ourselves, whether we can truly say with Peter: " Lord, thou knowest that I love thee;" [3] and should recollect, that he who sat down at the marriage feast without a nuptial garment, was cast into exterior darkness, and condemned to eternal torments. [4]
Our preparation should not, however, be confined to the soul: it should also extend to the body. We are to approach the Holy Eucharist fasting, having neither eaten nor drunk, at least from the preceding midnight. [5] The dignity of so great a Sacrament also demands, that married persons abstain from the marriage-debt, for some days previous to communion, an observance recommended by the example of David, who, when about to receive the show-bread from the hands of the priest, declared, that he and his servants had been " clean from women for three days." [6] These particulars contain a summary of the principal things to be observed by the faithful, preparatory to receiving the sacred mysteries; and to these heads may be reduced, whatever other preparations piety will suggest to the devout communicant. [7]
But that none may be deterred by the difficulty of the prepa- ration from approaching the Holy Eucharist, the faithful are frequently to be reminded that they are all bound to receive this Sacrament; and that the Church has decreed that whoever neglects to approach the holy communion once a year, at Easter, subjects himself to sentence of excommunication. [8] However, let not the faithful imagine that it is enough to receive the body of the Lord once a year only, in obedience to the decree of the Church: they should approach oftener; but whether monthly, weekly, or daily, cannot be decided by any fixed universal rule. St. Augustine, however, lays down a most certain rule applicable to all "Live," says he, " in such a manner as to be able to receive every day." [9] It will therefore be the duty of the pastor frequently to admonish the faithful, that as they deem it necessary to afford daily nutriment to the body, they should also feel
- ↑ Sess. 13. can. 11. Chrys. horn. 30, in Genes, et 20. in Matth. Cypr. in lib. de Lapsis.
- ↑ Matt. viii. 8. 10.
- ↑ John xxi. 15.
- ↑ Matt. xxii. 12, 13.
- ↑ Vid. Aug. epist. 118. e. 6. etlib. l.ad inquis. Januarii c. 6.
- ↑ 1 Kings xxi. 3 4, 5.
- ↑ Greg, in responsione 10. ad interrog. Aug. et hab. 33. q. 4, c. 7. Aug. serm. 2. de temp, et 2, 4.
- ↑ Concil. Lat c. 28. et habetur lib. 5. Decret. tit. de Pcenit. et remiss, cap. omnis utriusque sexus.Trid. sess. 13, 9.
- ↑ St. Aug. de verbis Domini, ser. 28, qui desumptus est ex. Arab. lib. 5. de sacram. c. 4.
