Q&A Home > C > Holy Communion

It says that if one partakes of Holy Communion unworthily, they eat and drink damnation upon themselves. If someone does take communion unworthily, can they repent and strive not to take unworthily? What I mean is even if one is guilty of the worst sins imaginable, is it possible for human beings to repent no matter what sin they commit?

The verse to which you are referring is St. Paul's instructions: "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27). We should always approach the holy body and blood of our Lord with the utmost reverence. That is what is meant by "a worthy manner." Thus, if someone dares to partake of the Holy Eucharist unworthily, he must repent and confess about this sin. Worthily does not mean he is righteous, but that he is struggling and fighting against sin. We are all sinners. Unworthily means he is careless, whether the church is fasting or not, he does not care, whether he confesses or not, he does not care, whether he has offended someone or not, he does not care, etc. St. Augustine of Hippo reminds us: "God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination." Thus, repentance is constant between you and God and followed up by regularly scheduled confessions (weekly, biweekly, monthly, etc.) with your spiritual father. This is living a life of repentance and approaching the Holy Eucharist worthily.