Most of us have been deprived of Holy Communion during this epidemic. I’d like to take this time to remind everyone about receiving Holy Communion, both the spiritual aspects and the practical ones.

 

 

First, we need to examine our consciences. Are we aware of any serious sin that we should confess? I realize today we have been encouraged to “do what makes you happy”, to “put yourself first.” We are human: what makes us happy one minute makes us unhappy the next. We cannot base all aspects of our lives on “feelings”; these too can change from minute to minute. I, too, am influenced by this way of thinking. It can make us careless, “me centered”, and because of this we hurt other people or ourselves. We don’t think about the spiritual, emotional, or physical consequences of our behavior. Our consciences can be “numbed” by these attitudes to the point that many times we see nothing wrong with what we do. We should prepare to receive Holy Communion, not just get up and go because everyone else is.

“We must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment." St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of
the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of
the Lord. Let one examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For
anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment
upon himself.” Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of
reconciliation before coming to Communion (The Catechism of the Catholic Church,
1385).

This is a serious matter; usually by receiving Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin a person does not “discern” or acknowledge what they are receiving. It is an act that tells God we deny the presence of the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion. If we believed, we would not come to Holy Communion in the state of serious sin. Come to confession before going to Communion unworthily. If you can’t come at a posted time, call to make an appointment with the priest.

The following is a reminder of how to receive Holy Communion and equally as important, how not to receive Communion.

There are two approved ways of receiving Holy Communion.

1) For reception of the Host on the tongue: Make a sign of reverence, a bow while the person in front of you is receiving, then step forward. The priest holds up the Host and says, “The Body of Christ.” Respond, “Amen.” Tilt your head back slightly,
extending your tongue and hold still. The priest will place the Host on your tongue
after your “Amen” response.

2) For receiving Communion reverently on the hand: First, bow, while the person in
front of you is receiving. The minister holds up the Host and says, “The Body of Christ.” Respond, “Amen.” Extend your left hand upwards with your right hand cupped underneath the left (if you’re right-handed). Holding still, receive the Host. Reverently take and consume the Host in the presence of the priest (before turning around for your retreat to the pew).

1) The Great White Shark Communicant: Instead of receiving on the tongue, the Great White Shark lunges for the Host from the fingers of the priest with his mouth. Sensing the danger of the attack in a nanosecond, the priest instinctively recoils to avoid loss of limb.

2) The Snapping Turtle Communicant: This communicant doesn’t lunge but snaps at the Host. No one likes being bitten.

5) The Black Hole Communicant: This communicant opens his mouth without extending his tongue expecting the priest to flick the Host into the abyss.

6) The Slot Machine Communicant:  She narrowly opens her mouth making it almost
impossible for a nearsighted priest to make a perfect delivery.

7) The Stamp-Licking Communicant: He extends the tongue at the last split-second thereby licking the fingers of the minister in an unsanitary collision. The minister then has to stop distributing Holy Communion to go wash his hands.

8) The How Low Can You Go Communicant: This communicant does not raise her hands to receive Communion but lowers them, sometimes as low as her knees, expecting the priest to bend and stretch.

9) The Baby-On-Board Communicant: Baby in arms, this communicant extends his only free hand and irreverently pops the Host into his mouth. (When holding a baby, receive on the tongue.)

10) The Sloppy Sweater Communicant: This young communicant extends her hands with the sleeves of her sweater covering most of her hands. (So expect the minister to deliver the Host to the mouth.)

11) The Body-Snatcher Communicant: This communicant grabs the Host out of the
minister’s hands. Do not grab the Host, receive it reverently on the tongue or in the hands. The Lord’s Body is not a piece of candy.

12) The Pill-Popper Communicant: After receiving Communion, this communicant
irreverently pops the Host into his mouth like an aspirin.

13) The Sharing Communicant: This person receives the Host and breaks a piece off to give to their child who says, “I want some.” Again, this is an abuse of the Sacrament. Do not do it. Also in this category of persons is the one who receives Communion and nibbles on the Host, and then pockets the other part to bring to a spouse or friend in the pew, or bring to Grandmama who is sick. Do not do this. The priest will find you after Mass and retrieve the portion of the Host. Legally the Holy Eucharist belongs to the Church until it has been put in the mouth. The police can be called.

14) The Souvenir-Hunter Communicant: This person is usually not Catholic but is curious to “experience” Catholic Communion. After clumsily receiving the Host, he tries to hide the Possession and return to the pew to examine the Specimen. Please tell your non Catholic visitors not to try to receive Holy Communion. Receiving Communion is a sign that a person is in union with the Catholic Church, believes what the Church teaches, and is spiritually prepared to receive the Holy Eucharist. We do not practice “open Communion”. This is not a sign of a lack of hospitality, but of commitment to what the Catholic Church believes and teaches. Comm-union puts us in union with Christ and the Church.

Sometimes the communicant is Catholic. She wants to save Something for posterity upon receiving Communion and taking it home. Don’t do that. The minister has been trained to tackle you. Both types, non Catholics and poorly formed Catholics, are desecrating the Body of the Lord. Communion is not a thing to be collected or preserved for God knows what purpose. This is the true Body of the Lord. The lay faithful, if they see someone walking away with the Host, should loudly call attention (this is a time to yell in church) to the person so that the priest might retrieve the Host. The person who does this should be commended.

Why all this fuss over a little wafer? Because for the true Catholic this is the Body and Blood of the Lord. It is the most sacred Gift God gives his people. The Holy Eucharist deserves our worship.

Humor aside, a devout Catholic should strive to receive the Lord Jesus not only with a heart worthy of him (i.e., without the stain of mortal sin) but with the reverence that is due to the God who gives himself to us as Sacred Food. To him be honor and glory forever and ever.