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The Third Precept
You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the
Easter season.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The third precept guarantees
as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in
connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian
liturgy.” (CCC 2042)
In times past (and even today, for some), reception of the Eucharist was
a rarity. As the Church grew and more and more priests were ordained,
Holy Mass was able to be offered more frequently. Now, most parishes
have multiple Masses on the weekend, with a vigil Mass on Saturday
(sometimes more than one) and a variety of Mass times on Sunday. For
most, the obstacles of not having a priest available or a church nearby
have been removed.
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attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation). In fact, all of the
precepts work in tandem with the others. It is not an either/or, but a both/
and proposition. While receiving the Eucharist at Mass is the ordinary
way, the third precept does not mention Mass, but only reception of the
Eucharist.
We need to take as an example those who, down through the ages, traveled
many miles and endured many hardships just for the opportunity to
receive the Eucharist once a year. We must view it as the precious gift
that it is and long for Jesus, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. The
Church encourages frequent reception of the Eucharist. Let us stay in a
state of grace and receive Jesus in the Eucharist often.
For further study:
CCC 2042 • CCC 1322-1421 *Note: Please see the many chapters
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