Why can’t some people receive Holy Communion?

There are three groups of people who cannot approach Holy Communion. Non-Catholics and non-Orthodox are not able to approach Holy Communion. All those who have committed grave sin and are unrepentant cannot approach Holy Communion. And, those who have not fasted from food and drink for at least one hour cannot approach Holy Communion.

Before we continue, there is one truth we must wholeheartedly believe: The sacrament of Holy Communion is God. The reception of Holy Communion hinges on this great truth.

To approach the Most Blessed Sacrament, we must be ready for communion with God. God is always ready to receive us, but there are many human beings who, whether purposefully or through no fault of their own, are not ready to receive God. God always takes us as we are and then slowly and patiently transforms us into who He created us to be, namely saints in heaven. We often try to do the same with God. We want to take God as He is and then turn Him into what we want Him to be. We want to manipulate God our Creator. Of course, God can change us into good, but we can’t make God better than He already is. He is the good. If I don’t want to change my life to be in accordance with God’s will, I’m not ready for Holy Communion with Him.

When we were baptized, we, or our godparents, made a profession of faith. We promised that we would give our hearts to God. Every Sunday since then, we have done the same when we profess the Creed before God and the whole Church. We say we believe in God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, which means we say we give our hearts to God. We say we believe in “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church,” meaning we promise to obey all the teachings which Jesus passed down to us through the Church. If our actions say that we are giving our hearts to God and the Church, then we are ready to receive Holy Communion.

If I do not believe in God, nor believe Holy Communion is God, nor in full communion with the Church He established, then I’m not ready to receive Holy Communion. Therefore, the first group mentioned above cannot receive Holy Communion. They either don’t believe in God, don’t believe Holy Communion is Who it is and/or don’t believe in the Church Jesus established. Of course, anyone can change their heart and believe in God and the Church. Once they have made this change, and it has been declared so in public, then they can approach Holy Communion.

Now, let’s look at the second group. If a Catholic Christian has knowingly gone against God and his Church, it’s simple to understand that they are not in communion with God and His Church. Therefore, they cannot approach Holy Communion. For by approaching Holy Communion one is stating publicly that one is in communion with God and His Church.

For example, a Catholic gets married in a Catholic Church, then gets divorced and then attempts another marriage at the courthouse. That person’s public action of getting married at the courthouse or anywhere outside the Church tells the whole world that they do not want to listen to Jesus’ words on marriage and divorce found in Matthew 19, Mark 10, and in other places. That person cannot approach Holy Communion until he or she stops living married life with the new person, or the first marriage is found to have been invalid and their present union is validated in the Catholic Church. This may sound harsh to some ears but Jesus’ words on marriage and divorce cannot be any clearer. One has to obey Jesus or one can’t approach Holy Communion. This goes for all grave sin, public or private. We must obey Jesus to have Holy Communion with Him.

The third group of people who cannot approach Holy Communion are unable to do so because the Church wishes us to prepare our minds before approaching this Sacred and Holy Sacrament. Fasting from all food and drink (medication and water not included) remind us that the food we’re about to receive isn’t ordinary food. No, this is the God of the Universe. No one without preparation walks half-heartedly into the ocean. No, one prepares oneself, mentally and with any gear necessary to stay safe.

To approach God in Holy Communion my heart, soul, and mind must be ready. And, my actions must be in accordance with God and His Church. If I’m not ready to be obedient to God and be in full communion with Him, then I’m not ready to approach Him in Holy Communion. This doesn’t mean that I don’t love God. It just means that I don’t love God fully nor do I want to follow His will completely. And, of course, God always loves us and tugs at our hearts every day. He wants us to receive Holy Communion even more so than we do. But, He wants us to be in actual communion with Him. The great sacrament of confession gives us that grace of full communion with God and his Church.

Fr. Evinger is pastor of St. Joseph in Killdeer, St. Paul in Halliday and St. Joseph in Twin Buttes. If you have a question you were afraid to ask, now is the time to ask it! Simply email your question to [email protected] with the “Question Afraid to Ask” in the subject line.