Today we continue our examination of conscience with a reflection on the precepts of the Church. As in the case of the Ten Commandments let us recognize that these are minimal..........
Today we continue our examination of conscience with a reflection on the precepts of the Church. As in the case of the Ten Commandments let us recognize that these are minimal standards. The true believer realizes that it is necessary to build upon them to secure the possibility of a fruitful spiritual life. One must also state that their listing differs depending on the source. For our purposes we will discuss both the traditional six as well as those included in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
The center of a Catholic’s existence is the Eucharist. This is codified in the requirement “to assist at Mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation.” Note the verb “assist”. This is a term which certainly denotes participation. It is not sufficient for a grace filled experience to be present merely in a physical sense. There must be true engagement of mind and heart with the community’s celebration of the Real Presence of Christ in Word and Sacrament. For fifteen hundred years of the Church’s life there was no legal mandate to be present at the liturgy on Sunday or those days designated. The coming reformation movements forced the faith community to legalize what had been presumed. No Christian would ever miss the opportunity to witness the “breaking of the bread.” The bishops of the Church realized that the mysteries of faith needed reinforcement from time to time. Daily labor threatened one’s ability to maintain consciousness of the divine as a result the episcopate established days of obligation which would not only require worship but the cessation of labor.
This legislation enabled the People of God to prioritize their family’s needs. Canon Law empowers National Conferences of Bishops to dispense from days of obligation universally observed. In our country there are six days which are codified. Recently, the episcopate of our country decided that if the Assumption or all Saints’ Day falls on a Saturday or Monday it is deemed to remain as a solemnity but there is no obligation attached. It is regrettable to admit that some Catholics live for loop-holes.
Over the decades the consequences of the second precept: “to fast and abstain on the days appointed.” Specific elements are sometimes guessed at because they are not known. For example, on all Fridays Catholics are to abstain from meat. The change in observance brought about by the instruction of Pope Paul VI was that a believer could dispense himself or herself if they perform some act of prayer or charity in lieu of abstaining. The Judaic-Christian tradition of sacrificial fasting should be a crucial part of our faith formation no matter what formal strictures require.
Different sources publish the third precept as the obligation “to confess our sins at least once a year.” Canon law adds the note that this is necessary, if one has been involved in serious sin. The central issue here should not be necessity but propriety. The habitual use of the sacrament assists us in our spiritual growth. It calls upon us to participate in a “spiritual inventory.” What are the ways we can avoid the evils which have plagued us? What are the ways we can draw closer to the Divine and our eternal destiny? What are the ways in which we can engage creation and respond to the needs of human kind and the stewardship of creation? The sacramental grace which arises from its celebration enhances our ability to progress on our pilgrim way.
The precept “to receive Holy Communion during Eastertime” has been committed to the obligation of receiving at least once a year. In an age when there seems to be a greater danger of people receiving the Eucharist unworthily, we might wonder what the rationale is for the existence of such a law. For centuries the Church has taught that it is the “medicine of immortality.” However, post-revolution France saw the birth of Jansenism which attacked the ability of Catholics to approach the Sacrament. Though quickly condemned as a heresy its cancer has continued to plague the Church. The Holy Name Societies of parishes were formed to encourage men to attend Mass and receive Communion at least once a month. The faith community desires its members to receive the Eucharist each time they attend Mass. In fact the 1983 code of Canon Law gives permission for the reception of Communion a second time in the same day. The Church realizes her children have a great need for the bread from heaven.
“To contribute to the support of the Church” is a precept which has many dimensions. Of course, we begin with the financial component. Just recently in a televised interview Archbishop Dolan stated that in difficult economic times the Church is hit with a double whammy: less funds are received while greater demand is made on her resources. But this is just one form of assisting the Church’s mission. We can take time to teach our young people; we can volunteer to visit the sick or shop for the homebound; and we can learn more of the Church’s past through study and thus be able to proclaim its truths. The Church can also be supported by the diverse talents of her congregants being placed at her disposal. Today’s faith community has new needs which must be met by those willing to share in tasks of preaching, teaching, and leading. Our reception of the sacraments of initiation have prepared us to evangelize the world.
Finally, all Catholics are called upon to “observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.” Under normal circumstances that requires that a priest or deacon and two witnesses to be present. However, the church now permits a non-Catholic minister to be the officiant if the Catholic is marrying someone from another Christian community or religious tradition. Ceremonies must take place in a sacred setting. In the case of all permissions or dispensations granted for mixed marriages, the Catholic party must reaffirm their faith and agree to raise their children in our faith. It is important to realize that unless someone is in a valid marriage they cannot receive sacraments.
Next week we will continue to explore the ways we can make a good confession.
Vivat Jesus
Fr. Brian