Fencing the Table (Altar)

Last week, Senator Bob Casey, a Democrat from Pennsylvania and a devoted Roman Catholic who is also pro-life, voted to confirm Kathleen Sebelius as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.  Pro-life groups opposed her nomination because as Governor of Kansas, Sebelius vetoed legislation that would have restricted abortion providers.   Now Scranton (PA) Bishop Joseph Martino has warned Casey that he might not be worthy to receive Holy Communion.

This is becoming a common occurrence in Catholicism, withholding the Sacrament from those who step outside the box of church teaching.   I don’t know why Casey followed party line rather than his conscience, which is typically pro-life.  Maybe he didn’t think that Sebelius’ confirmation really violated his conscience.  My purpose is not to comment on abortion rights, but to wonder what would happen to the Sacrament if the church withheld it from everyone who strayed from church teaching.  The current example is from the “right wing” of the church.  What would happen if the “left wing” withheld the Sacrament from everyone who is a racist?  What would happen if the church at every point along the political and theological spectrum withheld the Sacrament from those it regarded as “sinners?” 

 Jesus’ reputation among the religious leaders of his day was well known – “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  (Luke 15:2)  Would that his reputation was just as well known among the religious leaders of today’s churches, whatever the denomination, because not one of us is worthy to come to the Table or the Altar.