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NOT taking Communion

egyboyegyboy
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
are there any times where a person should NOT receive Holy Communion? like if a person sinned and a few days later received Communion, would it be considered wrong because that person is not ready because they still have sin in their hearts?

please pray for me and my weakness

Comments

  • mabsootamabsoota
    only if they haven't confessed. it's wrong if you consider your sin is not important and think you can take communion anyway as it doesn't matter. it does matter a lot, so if you sinned by stealing, immorality etc, you should confess before a priest first.

    we all sin from hour to hour, like being impatient with our family etc, and you don't have to confess every last thing to a priest as you walk into church because these are things we can mention at our next confession 'i am often impatient' or 'i judge other people too easily'. this is why you should take regular confession, monthly or weekly, depending on the situation. also you may sin during the church service, like thinking the person in front of you is stupid etc. these sins we should confess before God in the time of the liturgy (there are many opportunities for this esp during the fraction prayer). but if it is a sin against someone else (ie not just a bad thought) you should confess before a priest first.
    the gospel of matthew says 'if you have anything against someone, leave your gift at the altar and be reconciled with the other person' so we should not take communion while thinking 'i hate uncle mina'
    i understand it this way, i hope someone will correct me if i'm wrong and may God have mercy on us all.
  • sodr2sodr2
    I think it's better if you're repentant to take communion.

    We would have to confess more than once a month if we were to take communion every day/week.
  • copticmark
    Hi there.
    I like both responses and I want to add couple of points:
    + 1st. emphasis has to be for most on repentance, the confession comes second. The life of repentance, is a continuous change in the inner man -metanoia- change of self, mind, behaviour..etc every day I sit with myself and evaluate my accounts of the day and God reveals to me my sins as I grow spiritualy. U will not wake up the net morning with a hallo on yr head, but slowly slowly the seed will grow inside untill u attain the fullness of Christ Eph 4:13"until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ"
    + No body is without sin even if his life is one day on earth. No body can claim to be worthy of communion, no matter what or who he is; We approach communion in the bases of mercy and grace of God.
    + Confession is when u hear the voice of Christ (through the priest) "yr sins are forgiven". The forgivness is from God, hence if I am not repentant confession does not help, reading the absolution on the head of the confessor is not a magic formula that removes sin. It only works if I am repentant. Knowing that sins are forgiven By Christ because of His redemptive death and raiserruction.
    +Leaving yr offering on the altar as mentioned in Matthew and going to reconcile with yr brother  first; does not apply only on communion, it applies on all yr life of prayer. Meaning I can not stand in front of the Father in prayer ,even in my room, while my heart is angry or hate some one, reconcile with yr brother first then u will be able to reconcile with God
    +If u are living the life of repentance (confessing every now and again) then, u should not stop yr self from having communion at any time.

    God bless
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