Can I receive Holy Communion if I am late to the Holy Mass?

Can I receive Holy Communion if I am late to the Holy Mass?

According to Canon of the Catholic Church, Can. 918, “It is highly recommended that the faithful receive holy communion during the eucharistic celebration itself. It is to be administered outside the Mass, however, to those who request it for a just cause, with the liturgical rites being observed.”

The answer to this question is contained tacitly in the above canon. However, let’s break it down in order to bring it out plainly.

Can 918 contains two important parts:

1. “That it is highly recommended that the faithful receive holy communion during the eucharistic celebration itself.”

By using the word recommended, it means that it is NOT a MUST that one receives holy Communion only during the Holy Mass because of the exceptions that are involved in the second part. However, it used the word HIGHLY RECOMMENDED to show the seriousness and the importance of receiving Holy Communion during Holy Mass.

When you receive Holy Communion during the Holy Mass if one had participated very well, it becomes a fruit and a gift of ones spiritual participation in the Table of the Word(readings and breaking the Word through Homily) and in the Table of the Eucharist( Breaking of the Body of Christ and sharing in his blood). And so:

a) it brings one closer to Jesus Christ who is the Word and the Eucharist broken.
b) it increases ones life of grace(in various ways).
c) it reduces the desire to sin(by avoiding evil deeds, and pursuing life of love and righteousness) because of ones love for the Eucharist and not wanting to separate oneself from Him (the Word and Eucharist).
d) the constant union with Jesus in the Eucharist is an assurance of eternal union with Him.

2.) “It is to be administered outside the Mass, however, to those who request it for a just cause, with the liturgical rites being observed.”

Here, the Canon mentions a “just cause” without mentioning any situation and that means that reason has to dictate such JUST CAUSE.

For example:

Those who are sick could still receive Holy Communion outside mass through the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick or Extreme Auction.

Those who are taking care of the sick could still receive Holy Communion outside the Mass since they can’t leave natural justice which results to Corporal Work Mercy of caring for the sick just to attend Holy Mass.

Those who got into fatal accidents while coming to the Holy Mass, on the verge of death could still be absolved and given Holy Communion (Can. 921 §1).

Etc.

However, if one who couldn’t attend Holy Mass on time  because he or she was rescuing the accident victims, could he or she not receive Holy Communion even such person arrives late?

If persons who are dying as accident victims could receive Holy Communion, the persons who were on the way for Mass but couldn’t make it on time because they were trying to save lives could equally receive Holy Communion if they were late irrespective of the time of arrival at the Holy Mass.

Withal, sincerity and true spirituality must always be applied in every circumstances for all circumstances can never be the same because Jesus Christ was adamantly right when he said, “the hour has come and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him(John 4:23-24).

If after receiving Holy Communion, there is still an opportunity of attending Holy Mass in the next minutes as on Sundays akin activities in various parishes, the person considering the value of his or her relationship with God, should attend the next available mass and still receive Holy Communion.

However, that amounts to the reception of the Holy Communion twice a day?

Yes, you may receive the Eucharist twice in one day provided the second reception is within a eucharistic celebration in which you “participate”(Canon 917). This is understood to mean the standard level of participation of one attending Mass.

Christ primarily came to save souls and not just to heal the bodies and so, the Holy Communion must never be understood as a reward for coming early to the Holy Mass for even those who are not in a state of grace ought not to receive.

©Fr. Henry Charles Umelechi

Fr. Truth Series.

Also read: Is it a must that wedding(matrimony) must celebrated on a Saturday?

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