Communion is one of the main Sacraments of Christianity. The Savior Himself left the Eucharist for His followers during the Last Supper. Jesus, and later the apostles, emphasized the great power of salvation in accepting God's gifts in the form of bread and wine, but this Sacrament must be approached in purity and freedom, having performed the Sacrament of Confession.
Communion without Confession is a Sacrament that, instead of blessing, can bring misfortune through the fault of the person receiving communion; touching a shrine without repentance is a sin of disobedience.
Why is Communion without Confession a sin?
Communion and confession are two independent Sacraments that are not related to each other. The first Christians celebrated the Eucharist daily, being in prayer. They were motivated by love for the Teacher, great morality, purity was the norm of that time.
A fairly short time passes, and Paul, in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, reports that the Lord revealed to the apostle the secret of communion with His body and blood, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions. Reverence and fear should accompany Christians who decide to partake of the great Gift that bestows life or death.
Communion is a Sacrament established by the Savior during the Last Supper
Yes, it is illness or even death that is reaped by people who unworthily accept the Sacrifice of Christ. The Apostle Paul conveys Jesus' warnings (Cor. 11:23-25) that an unworthy approach to the Eucharist can cause illness and death.
The Apostle speaks of fear and reverence, that is, of reasoning about one’s sinfulness and uncleanness. It would seem that a person did a godly deed, went to church, took communion, but the illness does not go away, sometimes it gets worse, and the patient does not even realize that the reason lies in the unworthy acceptance of Jesus’ flesh and blood.
According to the Apostle Paul, unworthy acceptance of the Holy Gifts is a condemnation of oneself. Below we read how the apostle compares the Church to the body of Christ, and all Christians are her body. Christians who take part in Christ's meal must leave worldly amusements and sinful feasts, so as not to accidentally touch the cup of the demonic.
Interesting! Only the Holy Spirit moves the Church, instilling in the hearts of Christians love and faith, purity and freedom, which we acquire during Confession.
Each believer himself bears responsibility for unworthy acceptance of Communion, without repentance and Confession. Western churches have long abolished the rule of mandatory confession before the Eucharist, based on the fact that these are two separate sacraments.
Communion with the Body, in which there is no and never has been sin, is impossible for an earthly body burdened with sins. Unclean hands stretched out to the Sacrificial Gifts have no right to touch them without repentance; this is a great sin of disrespect for Christ.
Important! Confession before Communion is important, first of all, for the sinner himself, in order to begin the Sacrificial Gifts of Christ in spiritual purity.
Confession before Communion was introduced in Rus' many centuries ago; this law applies both on ordinary days and during major Christian holidays, including Easter. According to the Holy Fathers, confession can be attributed to the second Baptism, after which the soul finds healing and purification, and is capable of receiving the Grace-filled gifts of the Church.
Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ is necessary to enter eternal life
Having committed a sin, a person tormented by his conscience can go to confession without receiving communion, so as not to bear the sin on the next day, which may not come. It is permissible to confess, even if there are no plans to receive communion afterwards.
About the sacrament of communion
Jesus Christ revealed the Sacrament of Communion to his disciples before his death on the cross at the Last Supper. Then he took the cup of wine and said that this was his blood, shed for all people. Having broken the bread, he also distributed it to his disciples, explaining that this was his Body. Since then, all believers regularly take part in Communion, or the Eucharist, in order to remain in spiritual unity with their Savior.
Some Christians mistakenly believe that to save their soul it is enough to do good deeds and periodically offer prayers. However, clergy argue that without unity with God through the sacrament of Communion, it is difficult to resist and abstain from sin. More and more often, such a person has problems in the family, joy and peace in his soul disappear.
Touching the shrine, which is the bread and wine consecrated in the temple, gives spiritual peace and the desire to do good. The desire to participate in dubious worldly entertainment disappears; on the contrary, one is drawn to reading the Holy Letter and prayers. After Communion, any events occurring in a person’s life are perceived as a pattern and God’s providence and do not cause irritation; the Christian begins to realize that any trouble instills in him humility and the habit of relying on the Lord in all his affairs.
Such an important church sacrament as Communion cannot be approached formally, without preparation, since this will not bring any spiritual benefit to a Christian.
Preparatory activities include:
- Fasting, that is, giving up food of animal origin 3 days before Communion. On the last day before the sacrament, some believers completely exclude any fats and eat only plant foods. In the morning before going to the temple, you should not have breakfast, just drink a glass of clean water.
- Reading the Holy Letter, a special prayer rule and following the Holy Communion.
- Prayer in the mornings and evenings, where a person must ask forgiveness before the Lord for committed misdeeds and sins.
Confession is considered one of the main preparatory stages for the sacrament. The clergy recommends not to neglect this rule and approach Communion with a pure heart.
Why is confession needed?
Our first parents Adam and Eve were blameless in the Garden of Eden. They knew no sin until they violated the prohibition about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From that moment on, sin began to dominate man, separating him from God. Therefore, a person needs to constantly repent of known and unknown sins in order to overcome this separation.
Without repentance, salvation is impossible. Without repentance, the spiritual life of a Christian turns into a hypocritical farce.
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After confession, the priest gives his blessing for communion of the holy gifts. A believer can accept the flesh and blood of Christ as atonement from the sinful nature.
Many believers are interested in whether it is possible to repent at home? Personal repentance is also heard by the Lord, but it is not a sacrament of the church. That makes all the difference. After church repentance, a person receives not only forgiveness of sins, but also grace from God. It is impossible to obtain grace at home. Grace is necessary so that a person no longer commits the sin that he confessed to the priest.
In the Russian Orthodox Church there is a tradition of confessing before each communion. This tradition must be strictly observed in order to lead a full spiritual life.
Why are confession and communion closely interconnected?
The essence of confession is a person’s awareness and acceptance of his sinfulness and spiritual imperfection. It is followed by repentance, which must be sincere and help the Christian in preventing repeated mistakes.
Negative acts are released through the words and actions of the clergyman, who acts as the main earthly witness of this sacrament. A layman who confessed and repented of wrongdoing:
- cleanses your soul from evil;
- becomes closer to the Creator;
- receives hope of being heard by the Lord and forgiven by Him.
Communion is considered a bloodless repetition of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he made while on earth in human form. By receiving communion, a person unites with the Savior, rises spiritually, and receives protection from dark forces. Orthodox priests argue that Christians should receive communion as often as possible, from the day of baptism until physical death.
Confession and communion have a single essence and a common goal, which is the forgiveness of human sins and unity with God. These rituals have an inextricable spiritual relationship, and also represent an important custom that has been established throughout the centuries-old existence of Christianity.
Is confession possible without subsequent communion?
Many representatives of the Orthodox Church equate confession with second baptism, since during this rite the internal renewal of a Christian occurs. A person acquires spiritual wings, throws off the burden of accumulated sins, and makes a promise to the Lord to begin a new, worthy life.
In most cases, confession, which can take place from the age of seven, is followed by the ritual of communion. Having cleansed himself and repented of his actions or negative thoughts, the believer can accept the Holy Gifts with peace of mind, that is, receive communion.
At the same time, representatives of the clergy do not exclude holding a confessional ritual as an independent rite. Confession without communion is carried out if a person is bothered by pangs of conscience and he feels the need to quickly repent of a crime he has committed.
To repent of his sins and receive forgiveness, a layman can visit the temple on any day of the week. In this case, you need to first agree on the time with the priest and carry out the correct preparation. It involves a deep analysis of one’s actions, reconciliation with others, reading the canons of repentance, and studying special literature that helps to better understand the essence of the sacred sacrament.
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Communion is the most important and incomprehensible Sacrament of the Orthodox Church, in which the believer receives the Body and Blood of the Savior under the guise of bread and wine.
The Lord says this about His Holy Gifts in the Holy Gospel: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, you will not have life in you. He who eats My Flesh and drinks My Blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day (John 6:56).
The Sacrament of Communion gives a person strength for a grace-filled life in Christ. By receiving Communion, we ourselves become part of His Body as members of His Church.
Believers who want to receive communion at the liturgy must first confess. In the Sacrament of Repentance, the person confessing receives forgiveness from the Lord. Apparently, the priest gives absolution during confession: such power was given by the Savior Himself to the holy apostles, and through them to their successors: Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, they will be forgiven; on whomever you leave it, it will remain on him (John 20:22-23).
Does everyone need repentance?
After the fall of the forefathers, human nature was damaged by sin. Repentance is necessary for any Christian: sins alienate a person from God, the source of all good, and make him a stranger to Christ, Who is the Head of the Church.
Sin is a wound for the human soul, and hidden and unconfessed sins inevitably lead to mental and physical illness. A person who is accustomed to maintaining the purity of his heart and the neatness of his soul cannot live without repentance.
Even those whom we today reverence as the greatest saints repented and confessed their sins with tears: the closer a person is to God, the more clearly he realizes his unworthiness before Him. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, then He, being faithful and righteous, will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9), writes the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian.
What is true repentance?
The essence of repentance is not only in recognizing oneself as a sinner - that would be too simple - but also in leaving sin, in changing the very way of life that leads to sin.
How detailed should confession of sins be?
Sins must be named clearly, without hiding behind general phrases (“I have sinned in everything…”, “I have sinned against the seventh commandment”). But it’s even more important not to try to justify yourself, no matter how much you want to. Accusations made against other people during confession are also incompatible with a feeling of repentance.
How and when is the Sacrament of Repentance performed?
Usually confession is performed in churches in the morning before the Divine Liturgy. You can also confess in the evening: during or after the all-night vigil. However, it is necessary to remember that you must come to church at the beginning of confession in order to participate in the general prayer, when the priest prays for all the penitents. At the end of these prayers, he pronounces the following parting word: Behold, child, Christ stands invisibly, accepting your confession... In Russian, this instruction sounds like this: “My child! Christ stands invisibly before you, accepting your confession. Do not be ashamed and do not be afraid, without hiding anything from me, but tell everything you have sinned without being embarrassed, in order to accept remission (of sins) from our Lord Jesus Christ. Here is His image before us: I am only a witness, to testify before Him everything that you tell me. If you hide anything from me, you will have a double sin. You came to the hospital - don’t leave here unhealed.”
How to prepare for confession?
The penitent asks God for grace-filled help: the ability to see his sins, the courage to openly confess them, the determination to forgive the sins of his neighbors against himself. Prayerfully he begins to examine his conscience. Examples of prayers imbued with a deep feeling of repentance were left to us by the great ascetics of the Church.
How to prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ?
It is necessary to prepare for Communion by fasting, usually three days (only eating plant foods is allowed, unless, of course, the person has serious illnesses), special intense prayer, almsgiving, doing good deeds, abstaining from sinful acts and even thoughts, various types of entertainment and pleasures.
On the eve of Communion, you should be in church during the evening service, since, in accordance with tradition dating back to the Old Testament, the church day begins in the evening.
In the evening, after the service, the canons to the Savior, the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel, which are placed in the prayer book, are read. After midnight you cannot eat, drink, much less smoke (smoking is generally a sinful habit that is condemned by the Church). The morning begins with morning prayers and the rule for Holy Communion, also included in the prayer book (you can read the rule the day before). According to pious custom, believers try to approach Communion with not only spiritual, but also physical neatness.
How to behave on the day of Communion?
When taking out the Chalice, you need to bow to the ground, and, folding your arms crosswise on your chest (right to left), approach the Holy Gifts one by one, no longer bowing and generally avoiding unnecessary movements. In this case, you need to clearly tell the priest your full Christian name and open your mouth to receive the Holy Mysteries. After communion, you should kiss the edge of the Chalice and move away without bowing or making the sign of the cross to the table where warmth and prosphora are prepared for those receiving communion.
In church or at home, communicants read prayers of thanksgiving for Holy Communion.
On the day of Communion, you must try to maintain inner silence within yourself.
How often should a Christian receive communion?
It is impossible to establish a single rule in this regard for everyone, but if we rely on the advice of the most famous modern confessors (in particular, Archimandrite John (Krestyankin), then it is advisable for an adult to receive communion every two to three weeks.
Why is it necessary to give Holy Communion to infants? How?
We all need God's gracious help. But it is especially necessary for children just entering this life - during the period when the foundation of their personality is being laid, when it is still in the stage of its formation. A small child cannot yet pray on his own, he is defenseless, his protection is the prayers of his parents and the prayers of the Church. And he, like a young plant, needs sun and moisture, feels the need for grace, taught through the Church Sacraments. And, first of all, through the Sacrament of Communion. Young children can (and should) be given communion as often as possible, according to the diligence of the parents. It is advisable to feed the child 1.5–3 hours before the liturgy (depending on how long he can go without food; older adults do not eat or drink after 12 o’clock at night). Infants receive communion while they are still unable to receive a piece of the Body, only with the Blood of Christ. At the same time, parents are required to be especially attentive and careful so that their child does not touch the Holy Chalice with an awkward movement. Until the age of 7, children receive communion without confession.
What to do if it seems that the priest is not able to devote enough time to all the penitents?
Indeed, today more and more people come to church, realizing the need for repentance, and in almost every church on the eve of holidays and Sundays there are queues of people wanting to confess. What to do? It is advisable to come to confession on a weekday, when the priest can pay more attention to you. You can, after examining your conscience, write down your sins. You can approach the priest in advance, warn him that you want to confess for the first time, and ask him to set up a special time for you to confess. A queue at the temple is not a reason to postpone a vital step!
The importance and meaning of confession
In recent years, an opinion has emerged that Confession and Communion should not be connected in any way. That is, a Christian needs to repent when he feels an inner need for it. But it is advisable to take Communion every time you visit the temple. However, most clergy do not agree with this formulation of the question, since Confession is one of the 7 main church sacraments, and without it Communion has no meaning. They consider Repentance to be the second Baptism, since during it the purification of the Christian’s soul occurs, after which a person is able to receive holy gifts in church.
It is imperative to confess before the Eucharist, thus cleansing your thoughts of what is displeasing to God and bringing your spiritual state into readiness to participate in the sacrament. Of course, if a person, for some good reason, was unable to come to Confession and does not feel any sins behind him, he is allowed to take communion, but confession cannot be neglected on an ongoing basis. Without it, the sacrament will turn into a formality and will not bear spiritual fruit.
Is it possible to receive communion without confession?
It is possible to approach the sacrament of Holy Communion without confessing sins only in certain cases:
- If a person receives the bread and cup of wine a week after the previous sacrament.
- In the case when a Christian, for objective reasons, did not have time to confess in the presence of a priest, but asked God to forgive him for the sin he committed at home in sincere prayer.
- If in a small church that a parishioner attends, there is only one priest, and he did not have the opportunity to conduct a confession on the eve of communion.
