How Denying Communion to Somebody Can Be a Merciful and Loving Act

Okay, going to say this up front, “YES!” to deny somebody Communion can actually be the most loving and merciful act a Bishop can do. Now, hear me out on this one.

There is much discussion right now about the Bishops coming up with a united message and policy in regards to approaching a public figure who is persisting in serious sin in a public way and then presenting themselves for communion.

To be honest, in many ways, this question was already solved about 2,000 years ago with one of our very first priests and Bishops, St. Paul. That’s right, he addressed this very question because he saw people getting sick and dying because they were receiving unworthily.

Let me repeat that: people were getting sick and dying because they didn’t understand the seriousness of receiving communion with serious sin on their soul.

Beyond that, many didn’t understand that reception of communion was also an affirmation of all that the Church believes about the TRUE PRESENCE and the demands it placed upon those who approached for communion.

It’s also why there have been times in history when men or women have been excommunicated by bishops — always with the intention of bringing them back into full communion with the Church. It’s about mercy for those who persist in serious sin, not condemnation.

What is being discussed by the Bishops now is not an attack on any one public figure, but rather a desire to clearly teach what the Church has always taught.

We shouldn’t politicize this discussion. Instead, we should look at why bishops in the past have denied people communion. As an aside, often these decisions resulted in somebody changing their sinful behavior and having a true conversion — which is the entire point of such an action!

Bishops are meant to take care of the spiritual health of their flock, and we have a long line of tradition all the way back to St. Paul as to why receiving communion unworthily (none of us are worthy, but Church teaching has clarified this to mean when in a state of mortal sin) leads to not only physical sickness or death, but always spiritual sickness and death.

St. Paul knew he needed to clarify this for the sake of the flock and that is why THE BISHOPS NEED TO ONCE AGAIN CLARIFY WHAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN BELIEVED TO BE TRUE: nobody should receive Jesus with serious sin on their conscience or they will in fact not be drinking life upon themselves, but a spiritual (and sometimes physical) death.

We see this in 1 Corinthian 11:29-30:

” For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many die”.

I Corinthians 11:29-30

St. Paul puts forth a serious approach to receiving communion and the dangers of not taking mortal sin seriously when receiving Jesus. Not only do we eat and drink judgement upon us, but also sickness and death may follow.

So much more could be said, but here’s two little images I shared over on social media about why denying someone communion could be the most loving action a bishop could do.

So hopefully those are some thoughts to get the conversation going.

Ultimately, we shouldn’t weaponize the Blessed Sacrament, that is true! But a bishop who is looking out for the souls of public figures and allowing them a chance to change and convert is actually a bishop living out their call, their sacred duty and should be applauded.

Ultimately, it is up to the Bishop to decide, but a strong stance on the reality of the TRUE PRESENCE could also lead many others to conversion, a change of Heart and ultimately Heaven!

So I say, Couragio, good Bishops of our Church! Be courageous and think first of the souls of those public figures who are persisting in serious sin that will kill their souls.

Think next of the rest of your flock who is looking to you to show us you believe in the TRUE PRESENCE and IN THE TEACHINGS FIRST CLARIFIED BY ST. PAUL: receiving Jesus in serious sin is a deadly act that will kill the soul of the man or woman who presents themselves for communion, and we can’t stand idly by and watch public figures persist in something that is literally killing them from the inside out!

We need your guidance, Bishops! We need you to be willing to forsake public admiration for the sake of the souls of those public figures and our souls, too. We need you to be men of courage in a world of cowards and people-pleasers. We need you to care more for the soul than the praise of the world.

For the rest of us, let’s pray for our priests and bishops! They need our prayers!