Postawa lęku w obliczu Komunii Świętej w kazaniu Szymona Starowolskiego O godnym przygotowaniu się do przyjęcia Naświętszego Sakramentu (1649)

Abstract

This article presents a problem of fear which arises in the face of the Holy Communion. Being an expression of the consciousness of sin and of human status it becames also a beginning point of spiritual way right up to sacramental and personal union with God. In connection with this in Starowolski’ sermon there is the description of the development of religious life from the act of rejection sins via the life of virtues and the special kind of prayer, concentrated on Jesus, to the fruits of Eucharist. This analysis has been made in some important contexts like the worries of baroque man and the teaching of Tridentinum. In this old-Polish piece can be noticed also the very positive vison of a man invited to overcome his faults and to take part in unity with Christ. The human freedom allows him to form that relationship while the power of grace appears in some visible elements of an inner life. The conception by Starowolski constitutes the meaningful realization of the Roman Catholic theology going to take a resposibility for the salvation of the whole world.