Dear Trent, we’re supposed to refrain from eating for an hour before Holy Communion, but I can never tell if it’s actually been an hour or not. A few times I’ve stayed in my pew because I wasn’t sure if it had been an hour since I last ate. What should I do?
None of us, not even the priest offering the Mass himself, knows the exact moment when he will be receiving Holy Communion. If someone uses the hour of fast as a directive that he must eat something right up until an hour before he will receive Holy Communion, problems can ensue.
A good way to get avoid this distraction is to refrain from eating food an hour before the Mass starts. This way, you’ll be certain at every Mass you attend that the fast has been satisfied and will be able to receive Our Lord as He wants you to do.
Trent Beattie lives in Seattle, Washington. He is the author of the newly-released book on scrupulosity, Scruples and Sainthood: Accepting and Overcoming Scrupulosity With the Help of the Saints, and he selected the daily meditations for Saint Alphonsus Liguori for Every Day.
Other Helpful Posts on Overcoming Scrupulosity
- Finding a Spiritual Director
- I am struggling with scrupulosity – can I overcome this on my own?
- Understanding and Overcoming Scrupulosity Part I of II
- Understanding and Overcoming Scrupulosity Part II of II
- The Ten Commandments of Scrupulosity
