Communion

mikeforjesus

First of all thankyou Mina for unbanning me if that was you I will not start any threads hopefully but this one

http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/thecopticchurch/sacraments/4_eucharist.html

The above site mentions the below it also mentions you have to fast 9 hours

"We spoke previously about spiritual conditions necessary for receiving Holy Communion like having true faith, pure repentance, reconciliation with others, not approaching the Communion without preparedness, and the importance of feeling contrite and unworthy at the time of Communion. Holy Communion should be approached with the same eagerness as a patient seeking medicine to be cured of all illnesses. Hence, Holy Communion gives us the healing and immunity against all evil viruses of sin.

There are also some necessary physical preparation before receiving the Holy Communion, such as:

Control over all physical senses so that no obscure sins may enter the heart.

Cleanness of body and clothing; respectable clothes should be worn, as you are going to Church to meet the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The faithful must be fasting and eat light food on the eve of Communion.

Sexual relations between married couples should not take place either on the eve of Communion, as well as on the day of receiving the sacrament.

If a person is in a state of impurity, accompanied by a dream or otherwise, he must not approach Holy Communion as this is considered breaking the fast. St Severus Bin Moqufaa said, �Sexual impurity is fast breaking, and who breaks the fast cannot be forbidden from praying, or entry of the Church or attendance of the Mass (after a complete physical cleaning of course), but only forbidden from partaking of the Mysteries."


However the below site and my father confession say I can always take communion as long as I have confessed once a month even if I have not fasted the site says and I think my confession father agrees

http://www.orthodoxchristian.info/pages/communion.htm

Which one is the correct one ?

I often feel tempted to sin the night before and unfortunately I have given in and if not I break my fast because I can not sleep

More importantly if I do not fast for 9 hours the night before am I forbidden to take communion ?

I guess I can take it any other day than Sunday but I am not used to that due to busyness but it explains why I haven't been to church on Sunday recently
The 9 hour fasting rule is a struggle due to sometimes not wanting or being able to sleep at night

Also not only does it say you must fast 9 hours but on the eve of communion the whole day you must only eat light food

mikeforjesus

If such rules was to be followed a priest could not have communion most days

minatasgeel

The 9 hour rule is first, the minimum number of hours. Second, it is the rule and anything else is an exception for some that get a specific absolution for whatever reason. This absolution is mostly given by FOC but it can also be given by any priest if they consider the reasons.

mikeforjesus

Thanks Mina :) so was those rules made with the assumption absolution can be given ? How does the priest know he is making the right decision to give me absolution ? What if he just wants to make me like him or to prevent people knowing all our sins ?

minatasgeel

Priests have the authority to give absolutions to the people but un doing so they are taking responsibility for whatever they are absolving the person from. Considering that, I doubt they'll give the absolution so freely without reason.

mikeforjesus

Ok thanks

cyril

Keep in mind that the rules are intended to guide us to restoration and are not intended to be just adherence to a moralistic code. I've heard some Abounas speak about the rules as that prescriptions lead to recovery and they're intended to be applied based on the patient. Another analogy is that of language, where one learns from the rules and grammar of prayer in order to eventually learn how to speak, write, read creatively once the rules have encouraged greater fluency. 

So it's a delicate tension, rules and creativity, but we pray and hope that with every confession we return to our baptism and live out the reality of this Divine Life in Christ. May every confession we receive be a healing, a response of love and a partaking of Life in the Holy Trinity.

Abouna Alexander mentions in the book "The Eucharist":

"The early Church knew that, in all creation, there is no one who is worthy through his own spiritual effort, through his own “worthiness,” to partake of the body and blood of Christ, and that therefore preparation consists not in a calculation and analysis of one’s “preparedness” or “unpreparedness,” but in the answer of love to love:

 “That we also, together with all the saints who through the ages have been well-pleasing to Thee, may become partakers of Thy eternal good things, which Thou hast prepared for those who love Thee, O Lord.” When the celebrant proclaims the words “Holy things are for the holy,” the Church responds, “One is Holy. One is the Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.” But in affirming and declaring this confession, she knows that the doors to the “homeland of the heart’s desire” are open to all, and that “there will be no separation from each other, O friends.”"

Fr Alexander Schmemann, The Eucharist, page 241

 

Zoxsasi

"Sexual relations between married couples should not take place either on the eve of Communion, as well as on the day of receiving the sacrament."

Excuse me?? What if one spouse had holy communion and the other didn't have Holy Communion. What options are available should one of them wish to have a "sexual" relation with the other??

Why is it forbidden to have sex on Saturday night if you plan to have Holy Communion on Sunday? 

When is the best time to have sexual relations with your wife?

I totally agree with abstaining from sex 9 hours before communion, but the ENTIRE Saturday? That's going to ruin a lot of weekends of many people, and could potentially harm a few marriages.

minasoliman

This has been going on for centuries. I don't think it ruined marriages then. The point is the Eucharist is like the wedding chamber. It alludes to the type of respect and reverence required for it. Technically speaking, on fasting days, it's not only meat and milk one abstains from, but even sex for married couples. I don't see anything wrong with bridling sexual relations on specific times. What damages marriages is not controlling sexual relations but relying solely on it.

Of course, just like fasting rules, there might be some exceptions, in which case that is between the couple and their spiritual father.

So I don't know why you make a big deal about it.

minatasgeel

I wanted to reply to this before minasoliman comment, but here I am now.

We will NOT discuss fasting from sexual relations before communion here. I believe that this matter is private to married couples and it will not be beneficial for anyone else to discuss here.

mikeforjesus

Thanks I did not know there was more replies

mikeforjesus

Must I fast 9 hours also from video games ? I am afraid I won't wake up in time for church so I want to stay up ideally I would read the bible and pray for 9 hours actually it is 7.5 hours since mass starts then but I may need to eat or I may get a headache or faint
I actually don't read the bible much at all anymore and psalm 1 warns the ungodly are so
I am afraid of tribulation and the constant uncomfortableness of denying myself especially from demons and people
I don't have much of a care for my eternity and therefore love to God and others
Without tribulation we can not be saved so we need to embrace it