Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Acting or watching

Jansenism is a heresy in the Church that - forgive my oversimplification - would make Calvinists of us. Jansenism professed that one could not receive the Eucharist without receiving the sacrament of penance first. Today's youth are a bit more sophisticated about it for they know not to receive the Eucharist if in mortal sin but the heresy seems to have redefined itself by convincing many young people that nearly every sin they commit is a mortal sin.

Jansenism's effect was to make reception of the Eucharist a once or twice a year event. It has only been since the early 20th century, when Pope St. Pius X, decreed frequent, daily communion the norm that we have known such a practice. I suppose Jansenism isn't all to blame. The practice of receiving communion infrequently dates from the early Middle Ages. Jansenism just codified it.

Eucharistic adoration has regained its popularity and rightly so. But occasionally there are signs that adoration may even be preferred to reception. Some young people will deem themselves unworthy of the Eucharist - not always because of sinfulness - and will spend long periods of time in adoration but will not receive during Mass. This is a particular problem for the scrupulous but scrupulosity isn't always the culprit.

Moreover, one has to wonder about the theological training and understanding of the young. Chapel visits seem not to be popular unless the Blessed Sacrament is exposed. And yet Jesus is just as present in the tabernacle as He is in the monstrance. Is our respect for the tabernacle to be lessened?

Every age seems to develop its own sacramental aberrations. The return of Eucharistic adoration has had a tremendous impact on the incipient faith of the young. But the Eucharist was not just made to be seen. One former theology professor is known to have exclaimed, "Jesus didn't say 'Take and look!' He said 'Take and eat!' " The lesson here is that reception of the Eucharist is an action that moves us to live our faith and not only savor the flavor.

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