Many people sometimes forget the essentials when receiving Jesus in the Eucharist!
Many Catholics may not be fully aware of the Church’s teachings about how to properly prepare to receive the Eucharist.
To help clarify, the Heralds of the Gospel recently shared on Instagram the three essential conditions every believer must meet before receiving Holy Communion.
1) Eucharistic Fasting
The Church requires a fast of at least one hour before receiving Communion—no food or drink, except water and medicine. This fast helps awaken our desire and reverence for the encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist.
2) Reflection and Preparation
Don’t get in line for Communion without truly understanding who you are about to receive. It is God Himself who comes into your heart—nourishing your soul and strengthening your spirit.
Even something small, like a phone notification, can distract you and block the grace God wants to give you in that moment. Silence your phone, and silence your heart, so you can hear the Lord’s voice.
You can also make short acts of faith, such as:
“I believe, Lord, that You are present in the Eucharist. I want You in my heart. Transform me, Lord…”
Speak with Jesus before, during, and after receiving Him.
3) State of Grace
The Eucharist is not an “automatic right” for Catholics. To receive Our Lord worthily, your soul must be free from mortal sin. If you are not in a state of grace, go to confession first.
If you cannot receive Communion sacramentally, you can always make a spiritual communion. But never receive the Eucharist while in mortal sin—that would be a sacrilege.
In the comments to the post, a user asked if it was possible to take spiritual communion while in a state of mortal sin:
“Hail Mary! Spiritual Communion truly unites one with Jesus, but it must not be made in a state of mortal sin, because friendship with God is broken and must be repaired. The best thing to do is to confess as soon as possible. If this is not immediately possible, those in mortal sin must first make a sincere act of contrition, with the firm intention of confessing as soon as possible. Otherwise, spiritual Communion is useless and would be disrespectful, if not sacrilegious. Furthermore, spiritual Communion can be made at any time of the day, but the state of the soul is essential.”
Saint John of Chrysostom: Prayer to Jesus before Communion
O Lord, my God,
I am not worthy that You should come into my soul,
but I am glad that You have come to me
because in Your loving kindness
You desire to dwell in me.
You ask me to open the door of my soul,
which You alone have created,
so that You may enter into it
with Your loving kindness
and dispel the darkness of my mind.
I believe that You will do this
for You did not turn away Mary Magdalene
when she approached You in tears.
Neither did you withhold forgiveness from the tax collector
who repented of his sins
or from the good thief
who asked to be received into Your kingdom.
Indeed, You numbered as Your friends
all who came to You with repentant hearts.
O God, You alone are blessed always,
now, and forever.
—Saint John of Chrysostom