The Seven Sacraments Series: Holy Communion

The Sacrament of Holy Communion (often referred to as the Lord's Supper in the Protestant tradition) is the third of the seven sacraments. Holy Communion is a Sacrament of Initiation (with Baptism and Confirmation) because it brings us into the fullness of our life in Christ.

Catholics believe the Eucharist to actually be the body and blood of Christ received in the form of the Communion wafer and wine. During the Communion Rite, the priest celebrating Mass consecrates the bread and wine, causing transubstantiation, which is the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ while still retaining the properties of bread and wine.

We are required by the Church to receive Communion at least once a year as part of our Easter Duty, but we are urged to receive Communion frequently. There are spiritual benefits to receiving Communion. According to Scott P. Richert:

[In receiving Communion], our souls become more united to Christ, both through the graces we receive and through the change in our actions that those graces effect. Frequent Communion increases our love for God and for our neighbor, which expresses itself in action, which makes us more like Christ.

Holy Communion is not just a connection to Christ, but a way to remember the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Every time we receive Holy Communion, we are reminded of Christ's death on the Cross, which was to forgive our sins.

In preparation for Communion, we should examine our hearts. You should not have any mortal sin on your heart when you receive Communion, and the Church recommends participating in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (or Confession) before taking Communion.

After Communion, I also always take a few moments to pray, thanking the Lord for Christ's sacrifice, and asking Him to nourish my heart and soul the way bread nourishes my body. Taking those few moments helps me keep Communion as a Sacrament instead of a weekly obligation. It prevents me from hurrying through it at Mass, instead giving it the importance in my life that it deserves.