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February 23, 2019Receiving Holy Communion
by Fr. Joseph Evinger
Since the Holy Eucharist was given to us at the Last Supper before Jesus died, many Christians have followed Jesus’ command to eat and drink his body and blood so that one may be filled with divine life (see John 6).
Presently in our diocese there are two ways to receive Holy Communion. The official and traditional practice of receiving Holy Communion is reception on the tongue while kneeling or standing. In 1973, the dioceses of the United States received special permission from the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship for the faithful to receive Holy Communion in the hand so long as reverence to the Blessed Sacrament was retained. The Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship wrote the following:
“The option offered to the faithful of receiving the Eucharistic bread in their hand and putting it into their own mouth must not turn out to be the occasion for regarding it as ordinary bread or as just another religious article. Instead this option must increase in them a consciousness of the dignity of the members of Christ's Mystical Body, into which they are incorporated by baptism and by the grace of the Eucharist. It must also increase their faith in the sublime reality of the Lord's body and blood, which they touch with their hand. Their attitude of reverence must measure up to what they are doing.”
During my short time as a priest I have seen many receive Holy Communion reverently on the tongue and in the hand. But many of us know that reverence and care is not always shown by everyone, for a variety of reasons. I prefer Holy Communion on the tongue as do many priests ordained in the last twenty-five years because it more easily prevents the Sacred Host or particles from the Host from falling to the floor or from being placed in someone’s pocket, all of which I have seen during my time as a priest.
Nevertheless, the Church presently allows reception in both manners in our diocese. Therefore whichever way you chose I want to encourage you to receive this great Sacrament with reverence and awe constantly remembering who it is.
Lastly, I encourage parents and grandparents to teach their children the importance of this special and unordinary Food, and how to worthily and reverently receive Him.