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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Communion	Maria	Saturday, September 13, 2008
Question: My question regards the Eucharist and the Communion of Saints. It is my understanding that the Church is connected with the Saints that have gone on before, the souls in purgatory and the pilgrim people still here on earth. I have a hard time receiving Eucharist because of that interconnectedness. There are people with whom I do not want to be in communion. People with whom I am very angry and hurt. Yet, if we are the Body of Christ, receiving the Body of Christ (during Eucharist), to be the Body of Christ to each other, I do not know how to get around it. I feel angry seeing others, that I know have seriously hurt and continue to hurt people, receiving communion. I also know that that is not the way to attend Mass. I think we have been commanded to leave our gift on the alter and seek peace before attending service. I'll admit, sometimes I haven't been able to get myself into the doors because of that anger. I appreciate your thoughts on this matter.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Maria: I am sorry to hear about this Maria. You are correct, we are to leave our gift on the altar and seek peace with our brethren before receiving our Lord in the Eucharist. Mat 5:23 "If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, Mat 5:24 leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. Also the Our Father says "forgive us our sins (trespasses) AS WE forgive those who sin (trespass) against us." We cannot be forgiven if we do not forgive others. We are also not to be judging other people's hearts. You do not know the state of soul that other person is in. Perhaps he is hurting people, but for all you know he may have received the Sacrament of Confession before Mass. It is sinful of you to make such judgments. It is also sinful to be angry about this. You need to be concerned about your own soul first. This is what Jesus meant when he said: Mat 7:1 "Do not judge lest you be judged. Mat 7:2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Mat 7:3 "And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Mat 7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? Mat 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye. From what you are telling me it would appear you need to work on yourself before you even think about others sin. Instead of getting angry over these people, pray for them. I don't mean this as just a cliché. I mean as an exercise to get your own soul where it needs to be, you need to pray for these people. Pray that they will fully experience the Holy Spirit in their lives and live their lives for Him. (no not pray negatively). Essentially you are suffering from a lack of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not a feeling, but a decision of will. I suggest you read the packet we give to counseling clients about unforgiveness. It describes what forgiveness is and is not. Hopefully it will help you. One other thing, you do need to refrain from receiving the Eucharist when you are in this state of not wanting to be in communion with people. You need to resolve that issue first. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Communion

Maria

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Question:

My question regards the Eucharist and the Communion of Saints. It is my understanding that the Church is connected with the Saints that have gone on before, the souls in purgatory and the pilgrim people still here on earth. I have a hard time receiving Eucharist because of that interconnectedness.

There are people with whom I do not want to be in communion. People with whom I am very angry and hurt. Yet, if we are the Body of Christ, receiving the Body of Christ (during Eucharist), to be the Body of Christ to each other, I do not know how to get around it.

I feel angry seeing others, that I know have seriously hurt and continue to hurt people, receiving communion. I also know that that is not the way to attend Mass.

I think we have been commanded to leave our gift on the alter and seek peace before attending service. I'll admit, sometimes I haven't been able to get myself into the doors because of that anger.

I appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Maria:

I am sorry to hear about this Maria. You are correct, we are to leave our gift on the altar and seek peace with our brethren before receiving our Lord in the Eucharist.

Mat 5:23 "If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,

Mat 5:24 leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

Also the Our Father says "forgive us our sins (trespasses) AS WE forgive those who sin (trespass) against us." We cannot be forgiven if we do not forgive others.

We are also not to be judging other people's hearts. You do not know the state of soul that other person is in. Perhaps he is hurting people, but for all you know he may have received the Sacrament of Confession before Mass. It is sinful of you to make such judgments.

It is also sinful to be angry about this. You need to be concerned about your own soul first. This is what Jesus meant when he said:

Mat 7:1 "Do not judge lest you be judged.

Mat 7:2 "For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

Mat 7:3 "And why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

Mat 7:4 "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?

Mat 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

From what you are telling me it would appear you need to work on yourself before you even think about others sin. Instead of getting angry over these people, pray for them. I don't mean this as just a cliché. I mean as an exercise to get your own soul where it needs to be, you need to pray for these people. Pray that they will fully experience the Holy Spirit in their lives and live their lives for Him. (no not pray negatively).

Essentially you are suffering from a lack of forgiveness. Forgiveness is not a feeling, but a decision of will. I suggest you read the packet we give to counseling clients about unforgiveness. It describes what forgiveness is and is not. Hopefully it will help you.

One other thing, you do need to refrain from receiving the Eucharist when you are in this state of not wanting to be in communion with people. You need to resolve that issue first.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum