What does Communion do within us?
-
September 27, 2022Now that we’ve seen what Communion is, or rather Who Communion is, we may be wondering what happens to us when we receive Communion? The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is a summary of the official teachings of the Catholic Church (and available for free at www.Vatican.va), tells us that there are 7 fruits or graces of Holy Communion.
First, Communion unites us to Jesus Christ, since it is His Body and Blood. When we eat normal food, it becomes part of us; however, when we eat the Body of Christ we become part of Him.
Second, Holy Communion gives us grace, filling us with the life of the Holy Spirit, just as normal food increases our bodily life. Graces are spiritual gifts from God. The grace that we get from the Eucharist is Sanctifying Grace, which is the grace that makes us pleasing to God.
Third, receiving Communion separates us from sin. Only the Sacrament of Confession can forgive mortal sins, but every time we receive Communion worthily all of our venial sins are forgiven. Mortal sins are sins that “kill” the life of God within our souls. They’re actions that are completely incompatible with the love of God, and by committing them we reject God’s grace. Venial sins are those that “harm” the life of God within our souls. They aren’t as serious as moral sins, but enough venial sins can still completely separate us from God’s grace, just like enough wounds can result in death.
Fourth, the Eucharist increases our love for God and strengthens the virtue of charity within us. The Eucharist is the memorial of the Cross, which is God’s greatest act of love for us. Through the Eucharist God enables us to love one another as He has loved us.
Fifth, the Eucharist helps to preserve us from sin. The Eucharist increases our love for God; it makes us never want to offend Him or be separated from Him, which is what sin does. Regularly receiving Communion in a prayerful manner protects us from anything that is not of God.
Sixth, Holy Communion makes us a part of the Church. We enter the Church officially through Baptism, but we are not fully members of the Church (called the Body of Christ) until we receive Communion (also called the Body of Christ). The early Christians said, “We become the Body of Christ when we receive the Body of Christ.”
Finally, the Eucharist commits us to the poor. Holy Communion helps us to grow in love. It helps us to love God and to love those whom God loves. It helps us to love like Christ because it unites us to Christ. Mother Teresa taught that learning to recognize Christ hidden in the Eucharist helps us learn to recognize Christ in the poor.
All of the sacraments impart grace. They don’t depend on the holiness of the minister to work. They work because they were instituted by Christ and He gave the Church the authority to minister the sacraments. However, the sacraments can be more or less efficacious depending on the faith, reverence, and attentiveness with which we receive them. Someone who prays the prayers of the Mass, listens to the readings, and offers themselves to God along with the offering of the Mass will get a lot more out of the Mass than someone who practically sleeps through it. Here’s a good place to start. Ask God to give you a specific grace every time you attend Mass, something that you need to live a better Christian life. These seven graces that God gives us through the Holy Eucharist are a very good place to start. After all, Jesus said, “If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” (Luke 11:13)
