The Irish standard., 1906-02-17
FRu,rLEss commuM,oNs.
Where FruitIess communions Differ
From SaeriIegious communions.

| (Rev. DR.. Price, in Pittsburg Observer.)
rs every. communion one receives
necessarily either Il holy or sacri-
.legious one?'
| No. 1t may also be a fruitless COM
munion. To avoid making IL sacri-
legious communion, all that is needed
is to be in the state OF grace. But to
be in the state of grace does not pre-
vent one from making Il fruitless COM
munion. A fruitful communion re-
quires over and above freedom from
mortal sin, certain dispositions of mind
and heart embodied in fervor The
greater fcrvor one has, the greater fruit
one reaps: the less fervor, the less
fruit. Bear in mind that this is not
|'sensible fervor-n fervOr that one feels
such is not necessary. But if one is
! lukewarm, or slothful, or ci1erishes an
affection for venial sin, and commune.
Gates, he makes fruitless communion;
one that is not really wicked. or really
good.
But though Il purely fruitless COM
it is nevertheless IL sign of a dangerous
| state. 1t may be compared to person
| who feeds upon truly excellent and
nourishing food which may turn to in
JURY of health unless he obtain good
from it. or eat with desire and appetite.
Yet it is not difficult to find some
manner of evil in such communions,
for they almost always contain GER
tain lack of respect and generation due
to Our Lord. So you see. one should
not be content merely to avoid sacri-
lege; one should also have Il dread of
, making q fruitless communion. as it
may lead to open sacrilege by II very
rapid descent. Bossuet we'll says:
Even II we do not make ourselves
guilty of the Body and Blood of our
Savior, we can render ourselves UNI
worthy of those great graces without
which we cannot overcome our weak
nesses or the great temptations of
which life is replete. We can make
ourselves unworthy of perfect COM
munication with our Bridegroom, and
effect between Him and us. If not Il
rupture of relations. at least those cold
iiesses that dispose to IL rupture"
calculations sur rEvang.)
pn ciI finn iooy Mn,
and regards every communion as
worthy of chastiseinent that is made
without striving to gather the fruits
of our Savior's death and increase in
charity. 1T is not he only who APP
i proaches unworthily whilst still soied
| in the flesl, and in the soul who will
undergo terrible judgment, but he
! also who eats and drinks uselessly,
| because he does not fulfill what the
apostle says: The charity of Christ
| presseth us. Judging this, that if one
died for all. then all were dead. And
Christ died for all: that they also who
live may not now live to themselves,
but unto Him who died for them and
rose again. AS Il Christian renders
useless the great gift which he receives
without discernment and without profit,
when he approaches without any recog-
milton of this great mystery. he will
undergo the judgment reserved for
sloth. for he ought to rather expect that
the Savior will not allow these to pass
UNPUBLISHED, when He will punish even
those who speak idle Words ION
Baptism. Book l. chapter 81
The practical way to avoid the evil
of fruitless communions is to stir up
the greatest possible fervor whenever
We approach the holy table, and make
our communions as if they were the
last we should enjoy.