EUCHARISTIC FASTING
For whom is Eucharistic fasting obligatory? What does it matter? And how to count fasting time? We were taught about it in preparation for First Communion, but practice shows that it often slips away from our minds or we do not pay much attention to it. Meanwhile, fasting is the basic way to prepare for fruitful participation in the Holy Mass.
Awaken the heart's desire
Refraining from food and drinks that support and make our biological life sustain is to make us realize that soon we will be taking Food and Drink that will give us spiritual and eternal life. Saint Ephrem the Syrian wrote about it: “In your bread, greed perishes, your cup annihilates the enemy - death, which consumes us. We eat and we drink You, Lord,not only to be satisfied, but to live because of You.” Physical hunger and thirst need to awake our spiritual longing for Jesus in the Eucharist.
Amazing food
The Eucharistic fasting was known in the Church in the first centuries. It is true that the first generation of Christians often associated the Eucharist with a fraternal feast called "agape", but it was quickly decided to separate these two events and precede the reception of the Lord's Body with the time of refraining from any other food and drink. It resulted from great sensitivity to the real presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. It was considered unacceptable to mix the Eucharistic Bread with the usual food previously received.
Today, we may be surprised and even laugh at such an "organic", naturalistic approach, but it should also provoke the question: Do I really realize that in Communion I really receive God's Body and Blood?
Communion for the persistent
The first precise regulations concerning Eucharistic fasting were introduced in the 16th century by the Council of Trent. The rules there were very strict. In order to receive Communion, one had to refrain from any food and drink from midnight until it was received. This rule applied to everyone and without any exceptions.
Hence, Masses were generally celebrated only in the mornings. It was also one - but not the only reason, why the faithful did not receive Communion very often.
It was only in 1953 that Pope Pius XII allowed to drink only water at that time, and shortly after that he shortened the time of Eucharistic fasting to three hours. The next change came after the Second Vatican Council, when Pope Paul VI set a minimum fasting time of one hour. In 1973, in the Immensae Caritatis Instruction, he also allowed for the sick, the elderly and those caring for them, to fasting only fifteen minutes
Eucharistic fasting today
The Code of Canon Law of 1983 that is in force today prescribes:
Can. 919 §1. A person who is to receive the Most Holy Eucharist is to abstain for at least one hour before holy communion from any food and drink, except for only water and medicine.
§2. A priest who celebrates the Most Holy Eucharist two or three times on the same day can take something before the second or third celebration even if there is less than one hour between them.
§3. The elderly, the infirm, and those who care for them can receive the Most Holy Eucharist even if they have eaten something within the preceding hour.
Apart from the above-mentioned exceptions, the Eucharist Fasting is obligatory for all the faithful and, in principle, there is no possibility of dispensing (i.e. releasing) from it, both for receiving Communion during and outside of Mass. We count the time of Eucharistic fasting - which is worth remembering - not until the commencement of the mass, but precisely until receiving Communion.
There is no present requirement for fasting after Communion, but many Saints have recommended, as an act of reverence, not eating or drinking for 15 minutes after receiving – as long as the sacred Species remains intact in our body. If one remains at Mass until the closing blessing, one likely observes this recommendation even without realizing it.
In some cultures, the faithful follow the pious practice of drinking a glass of plain water before taking any nourishment after Communion. Such acts, while praiseworthy expressions of reverence, are voluntary and are matters of custom, not legislation.
PURIFICATION OF LITURGICAL VESSELS
When communion was distributed, the priest purifies the paten and chalice. During the purification he silently recites the prayer: "What has passed our lips as food, O Lord, may we possess in purity of heart, that what has been given to us in time may be our healing for eternity." This beautiful prayer has been preserved in the liturgy to this day.
THANKSGIVING
From the early days of Christianity great importance was attached to thanksgiving after communion:
Theodore of Mopsuestia - draws attention to community thanksgiving
John Chrysostom - rebukes those who do not have time to give thanks
Augustine - understands the last part of the Mass as thanksgiving after Communion
Prayers of thanksgiving developed, especially in the East. In the Western liturgy, it took the form of silent prayer or joint singing, followed by a celebrant's prayer, in which he asks that the celebrated mystery bear fruit in abundance.
In her Diary, St. Faustina wrote, “I find myself so weak that were it not for Holy Communion I would fall continually. One thing alone sustains me, and that is Holy Communion. From it I draw my strength; in it is all my comfort. I fear life on days when I do not receive Holy Communion. I fear my own self. Jesus concealed in the Host is everything to me. From the tabernacle I draw strength, power, courage and light. Here, I seek consolation in time of anguish. I would not know how to give glory to God if I did not have the Eucharist in my heart”. (Diary 1037)
Until Tomorrow
fr. george