The Hipster Heretics
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Something profound happened—I noticed someone not going to Holy Communion.
I paid attention to this man because I sat behind him and waited to see if he would go to Communion before I went.
I marveled at his humility and holiness to come to a daily Mass and respect the Body and Blood of Jesus so much. I knew he really believed in the True Presence for he loved Christ enough to not receive Communion when he needed to confess a sin or didn't fast, yielding to Church teaching.
Jesus didn't give out his Body and Blood to just anybody. The first Eucharist was reserved for the disciples at the Last Super, after Judas left. Jesus offered it again to two other disciples at Emmaus after he taught them about the scripture and Himself.
Jesus reserved the gift of His Body and Blood for those who were faithful to Him and His Commandments. He didn't hand it out to whoever asked.
The bishops in Ireland are discussing what to do about Catholic politicians who secured abortion on demand recently and are still receiving Communion on Sundays. These people are public figures with public records regarding abortion.
Having or securing an abortion carries with it an automatic excommunication from the Catholic Church since it is killing an innocent and defenseless person. Pope Francis has allowed local priests to give absolution for it instead of requiring a bishop to lift the excommunication.
A public declaration for abortion rights means that politician cannot take the Body and Blood of Jesus into his or her soul without scandal. We all know what they supported and secured—the destruction of human life that the Church teaches is a person, body and soul, at the moment of conception. Therefore those who call for them to be denied Communion should be heard.
When these particular politicians receive Holy Communion it has a far more serious implication about grave sin and Holy Communion, more so than a private citizen receiving the Eucharist, even if that person had an abortion. The public nature of a politician's job makes others notice what he does or fails to do.
I recall this same issue being debated about Ted Kennedy receiving Holy Communion. Kennedy was probably the most influential U.S. Catholic politician of a generation due to the power he held for such a long time. There were calls for him to be denied Communion, which was resisted by the bishop of his diocese. So Ted Kennedy fought for abortion up until the moment of birth for any reason, and he enjoyed the supreme gift of Jesus Christ's Body and Blood every time he went to Mass.
The bishop very well may have been trying to win him back to Christ, but what happened instead was he made lesser that mysterious gift of Holy Communion because Kennedy's role regarding abortion was of a public and vocal nature.
As for the issue of pro-abortion politicians and Holy Communion, why don't our bishops try something novel? Instead of the Body and Blood of Jesus, why don't we offer abortion right activists politicians what Christ offered Judas--a morsel of bread and a word of acknowledgment.
This idea allows pro-abortion politicians the ability to walk to the front of the church without embarrassment and the Church to stop prostituting Christ.
It takes a big man to respect Jesus enough to not receive Communion if he knows he can't. Sometimes we meet someone strong enough to take the stares.
A long time ago I thought I was a writer. Because my parents were practical, I went into teaching. About ten years ago, I began to write again.
I hold a B.S. degree in Elementary Education from Penn State University (University Park). I enjoy gardening, reading, Pittsburgh sports, and cooking, but not in that order. My regular job is being a wife and mother.
