This is the beginning of my answer to your question. On the surface there is much I can say about the taking of communion, but I'm certain there's more to it than I can say now without having done any work to research it. That being said, I'll attempt to give a concise answer now and then revisit the subject later when I've discovered the finer points.
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Cor. 11:26
First, communion is definitely a tradition. It was taking place early in the church--as early as the first century. (1 Cor. 11:17-34) The tradition, as with all traditions, can turn into a mindless ritual if not done properly. It is supposed to serve not only as a reminder, however, but an opportunity as well.
Secondly, I daresay that if we were to take communion every day and were forced to give an accounting for our sins regularly that we would not only grow closer to God, but also that we would never run out of things to examine. A heart that no longer requires improvement is dead. Our goal in this life is to continually improve ourselves--to become more Christ-like.
The act of communion is a time for spiritual meditation. We take time to listen to the voice that guides us and tells us what we should work on. That time is seldom grasped outside of the church, so communion serves a purpose in that it gives us those moments to truly reflect.
Thirdly, the actual partaking should only be done with a clear conscience. This means that you're required to make yourself right with God before drinking and eating. I don't know if most people fully understand the weight of what they're doing when they take communion, but it should be well understood. (Read this to find out how serious it is.) Partaking in an unworthy manner is on par with heaping judgment on your shoulders.
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. 1 Cor. 11:27-29
The price you'll pay is an unknown, but you can be sure that doing this hypocritically will not have a pleasant outcome.
So, now understanding the weight of the tradition you can begin to appreciate that the tradition is never to be taken lightly. It can become a monotonous ritual only if you become careless or don't understand it. If you've become careless, then you need to examine yourself and make it right before partaking.
Having said all that, a person who feigns examination and true repentance will likely suffer from it. It is a lesson that he or she will learn through the discipline of God. They may endure hardship that forces them to turn back to God--after all, he works that way.
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:7-11
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