Why many among you are weak and sick?

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"The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.
"The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp."

I am not entirely sure why this Old Testament verse from Sunday's reading seemed to draw me to ponder a connection with St Paul's warning about examining yourself before receiving the Eucharist (1 Cor 11), other than his words have been formulating a deeper thought in my head as of late.

Being a convert, it was the truth of the real presence of our Lord in the Eucharist that lead me to the Church, and why I attend daily mass. This important truth is often ignored by cradle Catholics, who will sometimes go up to receive even though they haven't been to confession in years, or at the very least, they don't understand who they are receiving . . .and who they are "drinking judgment upon".

I once watched in a hospital as a friend's brother, who practically hates the church and denies it's truth, received our Lord from a priest who was visiting those who couldn't make it to mass. This man was there, as were we, to visit his chronically ill mother, so I am sure his action was out of love and respect for her.

Later I pondered his action, and all the times he and his siblings, and all of our less thoughtful or less knowledgeable siblings, did receive when they shouldn't have. The picture of his devout mother lying in the hospital bed seemed to point me to the verse "That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep", and wondered if the son's disrespectful action could be a reason for his mother's illness, or if he, and all of us, would truly understand our actions than maybe there would be less illness. Could St. Paul's words mean a possible collective judgment or curse? It is biblical to consider this (although I should break out my catechism).

I also wondered why the parents never instructed my friend to not receive, considering the ramifications, and I than thought do I ever, do we ever, ask our friends before entering mass, if they are in a proper state of grace? Should we?

We who know should, with love and encouragement, instruct, if we truly love as we say we do, regardless of how our friends may respond. Could this be one way to alleviate suffering in the world? Don't know, but it may just help our friends know that we love them. Anyhow, just a thought.

"Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep"
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