Frequent Communion- your views?

PatricaMcKay

Im reading a history of Presbyterianism in the north of Ireland during the 18 th and early 19 th century at the moment and one thing that has jumped out at me is how serious they took taking Communion. Yes I know that Presbyterians celebrate the Lord's Supper much less frequently anyway than most Churches however until Pius the tenth Roman Catholics would also usually only take Communion 4 or so times a year. It would be interesting to know how frequently Anglicans took used to take it.

Now however if you go to a Roman Catholic Church nearly everyone takes Communion, and its not that dissimilar in the Church of Ireland. Is this necessarily a good thing? Could it be that frequent Communion is spiritually dangerous?

1 Corinthians Chapter 11 has this to say...

27Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

AhSureTisGrand

PatricaMcKay wrote: »

1 Corinthians Chapter 11 has this to say...

27Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you...

Turtwig

Yeah Catholics see the Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the world and I shall be healed as a get out of jail free card. It wasn't intended for that though.

Baggio1

should only be recieved on the tounge, simple as @)

gimmebroadband

Malty_T wrote: »

Yeah Catholics see the Lord I am not worthy to receive you but only say the WORD and I shall be healed as a get out of jail free card. It wasn't intended for that though.

It 'aint a get-out-of-jail-free card. If you receive Holy Communion in Mortal sin, you defile the sacred Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, and merit damnation. I suggest you read up on Catholic Holy Sacramants, instead of spewing misinformation!!!!

gimmebroadband

Baggio1 wrote: »

should only be recieved on the tounge, simple as @)

....and kneeling!!!

PatricaMcKay

AhSureTisGrand wrote: »

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you...

Surely Scripture has to be read as a unity? I dont think there are grounds therefore for simply dismissing everything St Paul has to say in what I quoted because of that.

PatricaMcKay

gimmebroadband wrote: »

....and kneeling!!!

Uh you do realize that there were strict canons against kneeling on Sunday in the early Church?

gimmebroadband

PatricaMcKay wrote: »

Uh you do realize that there were strict canons against kneeling on Sunday in the early Church?

Prohibition of kneeling during the liturgy on Sundays and during the Pentecost (the fifty days after Easter).

Standing was the normative posture for prayer at this time, as it still is among the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea

marty1985

Might be slightly off topic, but I remember seeing an adult man going to receive communion on his tongue but the priest gestured at him to use his hands. An embarrassing moment for the man, should the priest have done that?

PatricaMcKay

gimmebroadband wrote: »

Prohibition of kneeling during the liturgy on Sundays and during the Pentecost (the fifty days after Easter).

Standing was the normative posture for prayer at this time, as it still is among the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Council_of_Nicaea

Communing takes place during the Liturgy.

The Orthodox dont kneel for Communion, either do the Non-Chalcedonian Orthodox.

So the whole thing about having the kneel is an innovation.

That was my point.

homer911

1 Corinthians 11:25 is the only reference we have to frequency of Holy Communion/Lord's Supper:

"In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" (English Revised Version)

Which basically leaves it open for churches and individuals to decide themselves.

I agree that too frequent removes the significance of the sacrament. In the (Presbyterian) church I attend, we have a formal Lord's Supper once a quarter, prior to which all members would be visited by their appointed elder. We have recently been "experimenting" with a less formal monthly Lord's Supper, taking place after the main service

PatricaMcKay

homer911 wrote: »

"In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in my blood: this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" (English Revised Version)

Which basically leaves it open for churches and individuals to decide themselves.

I agree that too frequent removes the significance of the sacrament. In the (Presbyterian) church I attend, we have a formal Lord's Supper once a quarter, prior to which all members would be visited by their appointed elder. We have recently been "experimenting" with a less formal monthly Lord's Supper, taking place after the main service

I dont think that there cant be a universal rule about this because are different and at differing stages of spiritual growth, etc. However I do think its clear that we have to be in a state of spiritual health to Commune and to take Communing very seriously.

What I underlined is a really good idea. Does your Church have any special preparations that people must undertake before communing?

philologos

OP: Usually people in the CofI take it biweekly. The service alternates between Holy Communion and Service of the Word.

PatricaMcKay

True, but when Communion is offered how many people Communion?

philologos

PatricaMcKay wrote: »

True, but when Communion is offered how many people Communion?

Most people in the church. I don't see how that's really problematic. The Eucharist is a reminder of what Christ achieved for mankind by His death and Resurrection. People should feel free to partake in it with that much in mind.

homer911

PatricaMcKay wrote: »

Does your Church have any special preparations that people must undertake before communing?

The service itself would be one of preparation, leading up to the conclusion of Communion. (The service would generally be 70+ minutes)There would be a lot of emphasis on the verses you quoted. The invitation would then be extended to all those in communion with any branch of the Christian Church to participate. Almost all would participate (some would choose not to be there on the day). Of those in attendance, young people not admitted to full church membership, and some catholics would not generally participate

PDN

In our church we celebrate communion approx 6 times a year.

alex73

PatricaMcKay wrote: »

Communing takes place during the Liturgy.

The Orthodox dont kneel for Communion, either do the Non-Chalcedonian Orthodox.

So the whole thing about having the kneel is an innovation.

That was my point.

Yes, In the Greek Orthodox church they give communion standing up, but they give Bread and Wine/ Body and Blood. As such it would be difficult enough to give kneeling down with the priest having to bend. I asked a Monk on Mt. Athos and he said the consecrate the Eucharist twice a week. They use bread they make and as such it does not keep as its moist. They only hold a small about for the last rites if needed.

So if you are looking for the Original tradition as such then its really the greek one.. As it would have been the Greek rite that would have been said in italy for the first centuries or so (Obviously not the same as today). Anway Catholic Church recognizes the Real Presence in the Orthodox's leavened host.