Cherie Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Which is more meritorious: going to Mass, but not receiving the Holy Eucharist, or attending a Communion service, but therein receiving Our Lord? Assume all the necessary things are present: correct disposition, attention, etc. I'm asking in terms of all other things being equal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 Hmmm. I dunno. I would say going to Mass even if you don't receive, because of the graces present at Mass that wouldn't be present at a Communion service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qfnol31 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 [quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1351827673' post='2502634'] Which is more meritorious: going to Mass, but not receiving the Holy Eucharist, or attending a Communion service, but therein receiving Our Lord? Assume all the necessary things are present: correct disposition, attention, etc. I'm asking in terms of all other things being equal. [/quote] Is it a holy day of obligation? I'd say Mass is more meritorious anyways because the Mass is the greater prayer and the full participation in the sacrifice on the Cross, though I don't know if that extends to graces received through the Sacrament. I believe the graces of the Mass are greater overall, but individually are greater when receiving Holy Communion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 [quote name='qfnol31' timestamp='1351830011' post='2502692'] Is it a holy day of obligation? I'd say Mass is more meritorious anyways because the Mass is the greater prayer and the full participation in the sacrifice on the Cross, though I don't know if that extends to graces received through the Sacrament. I believe the graces of the Mass are greater overall, but individually are greater when receiving Holy Communion. [/quote] so, basically what i said except with more flowery words. (I kid, I kid) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qfnol31 Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I did add a small caveat to mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aloysius Posted November 2, 2012 Share Posted November 2, 2012 I'm curious as to the context of the question, or if it's being asked in a vacuum. I'm not sure I can envision this ever coming up, because if you're in a state of grace that you could receive at the communion service, then you'd also be in a state of grace to be able to receive at the Mass. and it is obviously better to receive communion at Holy Mass than it is to do so in a communion service, if you can help it. I suppose the scenario would have to include a mass somewhere that wasn't distributing communion to the faithful vs. a communion service; I find it incredibly unlikely one would ever be within traveling distance of two such scenarios. the comparison of not receiving communion at Holy Mass vs. receiving communion at a communion service; I'm not sure there is a proper answer to that... receiving the sacrament would have to win out, I would suppose, on an individual level; whereas the Holy Mass itself is objectively the more grace-filled moment, considering that even the communion you received at the communion service was consecrated at Holy Mass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherie Posted November 2, 2012 Author Share Posted November 2, 2012 It was a theoretical situation my husband and I discussed to further conceptualize and understand the merits of Holy Mass vs. Holy Communion. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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