It has never been the case in Christian history that the Eucharist was a kind of universal meal. From the earliest decades of Christianity, the Church understood the Eucharist as an expression of communion, and admitted to Eucharist those who were fully in the Church’s communion.
In the early centuries of the Church, Christian initiation took years of formation. And so did penance for grave public sins. Penitents would enter the “order of penitents,” and live sometimes for years doing public penance for grave sins, to atone for wound to Church’s unity.
I would, no doubt, have spent most of my life in the “order of penitents.”
The idea was not punishment in order to shame or humiliate. The idea was to effect conversion, to take seriously the integrity of the Church’s unity and witness, and to take seriously God’s judgment.
The idea was not punishment in order to shame or humiliate. The idea was to effect conversion, to take seriously the integrity of the Church’s unity and witness, and to take seriously God’s judgment.
The Eucharist is - no doubt - an unmerited gift - the real presence of Christ in the sacrifice of the Mass, for our eternal salvation.
It nourishes us to live in accord with God’s will. But it has always been the case that when we don’t, repentance precedes reception.
It nourishes us to live in accord with God’s will. But it has always been the case that when we don’t, repentance precedes reception.
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