Administration of Communion

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yubasux95901

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Why is it that the priest puts the communion wafer directly in your mouth instead of just handing it to you? And why does everyone drink out of goblets instead of everyone having their own disposable cup?
 
We receive the Precious Body either directly on the tongue from the priest or EMHC (Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion) or in the hand, reverently, from the priest or EMHC. The norm is on the tongue but it is licit (accepted) in the U.S. to receive in the hand as well. So to answer your first question, if you receive in the hand the Body will be handed to you, if you receive on the tongue, the Body will be placed there.

In regard to the Precious Blood, we believe the wine is indeed His Blood. As such it is precious and not to be ‘thrown away’ in disposable cups. Indeed, at the conclusion of communion the priest will drink whatever blood remains in the cup, and then carefully and reverently wipe clean the chalice, ensuring that no drops of that precious blood are spilt or wasted.

I hope that answers your question and may God bless you.
 
It is probably worthwhile to point out that even within Protestantism, individual cups are a new thing. The older practice was to use the common cup.
 
You are allowed to receive the Host either by having it placed on your tongue or by receiving in your hand. As previous posters said, the Blood of Christ (the wine) is received from a common cup and after communion cleansed by the priest so that none of it may be lost. I do not know why some Protestant denominations use individual cups, but then in many of those churches which do, communion is only offered on rare occasions. In the Catholic Church the Eucharist, that is the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ, is central to the Mass. In some Protestant churches communion is seen as secondary to the preaching of the Word of God and the wine (often actually grape juice) is passed throughout the pews on a tray in individual cups. I would find this to be extremely awkward and the wine or juice prone to being spilled–which would be a disaster in the Catholic Church but perhaps a matter of not much concern in some churches wherein communion is regarded as simply a memorial or reenactment of the Last Supper.

(Just to be practical, and to protect our environment from a lot of disposable stuff, and thus being good stewards as God has commanded, isn’t the common cup much better?)

Peace be with you.
 
yubasux95901 said:
Why is it that the priest puts the communion wafer directly in your mouth instead of just handing it to you? And why does everyone drink out of goblets instead of everyone having their own disposable cup?
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We receive the Body and Blood of Christ; we do not take. The last time anyone snatched at divinity was when Eve (and, subsequently Adam) took from the fruit of the tree of Life at the behest of the serpent. We do not snatch at Holy gifts; we receive them.

Because the Precious Blood is truly the Blood of Christ, we do not use disposable cups because it would be disrespectful to Our Lord to place His Blood into something that is throw-away. We use chalices of gold and/or silver because only the finest materials should be employed to hold such an invaluable treasure.
 
For what it’s worth, I saw a video of a Methodist communion service.

The Methodist minister (who wore traditional mass vestments, btw) distributed the elements by intinction directly into the communicant’s mouth from a common cup.
 
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