ACTS Apologist Blog: A Dangerous Slogan: "The Eucharist is not a reward for the perfect..."

Slogans can be powerful things. Think of the phrases, "No taxation without representation", "Remember the Alamo", and "Remember the Maine". Bloody wars were fought over those words.

There has been another slogan I have heard bandied about in Catholic circles for the past couple years. It has recently been repeated by such notable figures as Pope Francis and Lady Gaga. That phrase is:

"The Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect, but medicine for sinners."

Today I wanted to discuss why people should be very wary when hearing that slogan.

Where it is Correct:

The phrase contains two assertions, both of which are completely true.

Yes, the Eucharist is not a prize for perfect people. It is the body of Christ, a gift so spectacular that even a perfect human would still be unworthy of receiving it. The Virgin Mary herself would be quite right in praying:

"Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof..." (The second part of the prayer she might not need)

And yes, the Eucharist is medicine for sinners. As Jesus said in John 6:

"Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day." - John 6:53-54

Thus, the Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC 1391 - 1398] spells out the fruits of reception of the Eucharist:

Unites us to Christ.
Increases sanctifying grace in our soul
Forgiveness of venial sins
Preservation from sin
Enkindles charity
Effects the unity of the Church
Commits us to the poor

So the slogan is undeniably true... but that is one of two clues which should tell you something is wrong.

Do You Sense Danger?

What are those two warning signs?

First, has anybody actually ever proposed that one must be totally morally perfect to receive communion? I know of no one. That makes the first part of this slogan a “straw man”. It is being used to deny something which no one has actually asserted.

Second, why even bother having a slogan which is undeniably true? Answering that question is where the real danger of this slogan becomes apparent. Because many times the real purpose of an undeniably true slogan is to get us to NOT THINK about the truths which are left out.

Did God Really Say...

So which truth is being left out?

Well, the slogan would lead us to think there are two categories; sinner and perfect. And - (as everyone knows) - no one is perfect in this earthly life. We are all sinners.

Thus, since the Eucharist is medicine for sinners, and we're all sinners... it follows that everyone should receive the Eucharist and reap its benefits. That is to say, no one should be excluded from reception of Holy Communion.

But if that is the case, why did Saint Paul say:

"Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord. But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of the chalice. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord. Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you, and many sleep." - 1 Corinthians 11:27-30

Hmmm… something is wrong. It seems that Saint Paul was inspired to see the situation with a bit more nuance. Yes, the Eucharist is medicine for sinners, but the Bible says there can be situations where receiving the Eucharist would actually be harmful.

The perennial understanding of this teaching is that a person receives unworthily if he does so while guilty of mortal sin. This is why the Catechism teaches:

"To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience [...] Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion." - CCC 1385

This teaching is a harsh mercy. And it is something which is especially under attack today for supposedly being judgmental and exclusionary. But this teaching exists out of concern for souls.

We seem to think that when we go up to receive communion, God is presenting Himself to us. The situation is quite the opposite. When we go up for Communion we are presenting ourselves to God. And if we do so while guilty of mortal sin, Saint Paul warns us that we are bringing down judgment upon ourselves.

And that is why this slogan is very dangerous. By using a straw man and leaving out important distinctions, it invites the hearer to see the Church's teaching - which is derived from Holy Scripture - as wicked and unjust.

Further, it breeds contempt for people who take said teaching seriously. It invites others to look at them and say:

“Those Pharisees think the Eucharist exists to be a prize for their supposed perfection! Well screw them!”

A Fuller Picture:

That is why you should be very wary of the slogan we’ve been discussing.

Yes, it’s true elements should always be on our mind. We are not perfect in this life. The Eucharist is a gratuitous gift we do not deserve. It is medicine for the soul.

However, we also need to keep in mind the things the slogan doesn’t say. No one is entitled to the Eucharist. We are presenting ourselves before God. We need to be repentant of all our sins. We should have great reverence for what we have been invited to do.

With that said, a more accurate slogan might read: