Arguing about how to receive Holy Communion

[brotherhrolf]

Sorry for the confusion … let’s say one woofs this wafer into ones’ mouth and jams it between their teeth. Would this mean they are biting God or jamming God between their teeth and if so, would it entail a curse, i.e. all their teeth would fall out.

Your kind response will be so much appreciated. Thanks.

One does not woof the Eucharist into one’s mouth nor does one jam it between their teeth. Believe it or not, way back in 1959 when I made my First Communion, this subject was discussed as part of our preparation to make one’s First Holy Communion. One loosens the Eucharist (which would normally lodge in the roof of one’s mouth) with one’s tongue.

 

[LumberGumRubber]

One does not woof the Eucharist into one’s mouth nor does one jam it between their teeth. Believe it or not, way back in 1959 when I made my First Communion, this subject was discussed as part of our preparation to make one’s First Holy Communion. One loosens the Eucharist (which would normally lodge in the roof of one’s mouth) with one’s tongue.

Thank you ever so much brotherhrolf for your gracious reply. What I meant by jamming it between the teeth is, let’s say one slips into an epileptic fit and that ones’ jaws start flapping at an incredible rate of speed, and the wafer becomes lodged between ones’ teeth, being munched out of control, what would that incur? That’s why I was asking if it could bring about some type of violent curse.
I’ll appreciate your help and instruction. Thank you again.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

Sorry for the confusion … let’s say one woofs this wafer into ones’ mouth and jams it between their teeth. Would this mean they are biting God or jamming God between their teeth and if so, would it entail a curse, i.e. all their teeth would fall out.

Your kind response will be so much appreciated. Thanks.

The Eucharist is in fact the Body, Blood, Soul & Divinity of Jesus Christ - the second person of the Holy Trinity Who is God. To partake of the Eucharist is to commune with God who created all things. In fact Communion was instituted by Christ to give life… So yes, you are consuming God.

I am sorry, I don’t know you. You have four posts to your credit and the wording and tone of this post suggest a sort of mocking or derision - please forgive if I misread you.

I am a Catholic of 30+ years who has communed in Eastern & Western Catholic Churches - with species that have been both leavened and unleavened. This concept of “woofing down” or “jamming into one’s teeth” is alien and unknown to me. The idea of a “curse” is foreign and repugnant to Catholics who would reject such supersticous talk. Should one fail to show reverence or otherwise profane the Eucharist, they would not be cursed - they would have committed a sin, and would be expected (as with any other sin) to make amends, and confess it to have the stain of that sin removed. This is not witchcraft, there is no curse.

As to the very curious hypothetical offering you propose - the epleptic fits - while it is possible that someone would suffer seizure when communing, this example is still rather bizarre and borderline pedantic to me. The fact that you talk about “munching” the “wafer” and getting it “jammed in one’s teeth” is puzzling to me. Actually, given your maiden posting here just a day ago:

A split fingered Live long & prosper … actually what one needs in the final end, is not religion, but eternal redemption.

Salvation (eternal salvation, i.e. Hebrews 5:9) is not to be found in Catholicism / Protestantism, but rather in a finished work accomplished by the crucified and resurrected Christ of God, i.e. 1Timothy 2:6.
Christ has provided the means by which sinful men (even religious sinners) can be saved from the horrific judgment of God, i.e. Hebrews 9:27 / 10:31.
But to get in on the good of what Christ has provided, is not religion as we know it, but rather an acknowledgement of God’s verdict upon our sin, and a genuine repentance from it, i.e. Acts 17:30 and a faith placed alone in the Person and finished work of Christ, i.e. Jn 3:16-18.
That would mean taking ones’ faith out of whatever that one might have it in, and place it fair & square in Christ alone.
That’s when (and only when) men & women can know for sure of their entrance into the kingdom of God.
Somewhat for to consider …
(If perchance this note is not seen by any, please advise me immediately)

I rather suspect that you don’t share in our belief on the Eucharist, and are using this forum to ask leading questions in a tone that mocks our belief. I would kindly ask you to stop - no amount of prefacing your questions with genteel flattery hides the purpose of the fact you likely think this all “rather silly business” and are asking what you do, in the tone you do, to attempt to stress that.

Let’s have enough respect for each other to be sincere and genuine in our questions. It seems only part and parcel of Christian decency.

 

[brotherhrolf]

I am certain that Our Lord would forgive a seizure. We were brought up to have the highest respect for Our Lord in the Eucharist. You have to understand that when we received the Holy Eucharist back then, we knelt at a communion rail which was covered by a cloth. Father gave communion on the tongue. An altar boy was standing at his side with a gold paten (disc with a handle) which was placed under one’s chin. I don’t know how to frame an answer to you which would encompass the horror we felt back then if Our Lord were to be profaned.

In all honesty, I can tell you that I never saw Our Lord dropped when I was a child or teenager. I have seen it far too often today with Communion in the hand.

BTW, the proper terminology for the “wafer” is the Host.

 

[LumberGumRubber]

Thank you brotherhrolf. I appreciate your reply. To ASimpleSinner … I think you might find a simple nap to help and that way you’ll not be on edge so much. Warm milk and cookies are also usually a help. Remember now to show kindness. :-}

I remember one who actually bit the host and this one felt God had been biten. Horrors unimaginable when she nearly hurled herself out through the basement window! Thus the reason questions.

Again, the replies have been helpful and appreciated. Thanks again.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

ASimpleSinner … I think you might find a simple nap to help and that way you’ll not be on edge so much. Warm milk and cookies are also usually a help. Remember now to show kindness. :-} .

Please do not placate or condescend to me in this fashion. It is not welcome, it is not appropriate. You have made explicitly clear what you think of the Catholic Church and ***de facto ***her teachings. To come here and ask “how many angels on the head of a pin” type questions about having epileptic seizures causing one to “munch up the wafer” is poor form.

First things first, you want to discuss the Eucharist and why we believe what we believe, let’s start a thread and do just that.

I remember one who actually bit the host and this one felt God had been biten. Horrors unimaginable when she nearly hurled herself out through the basement window! Thus the reason questions.

Do you have any bridges in Brooklyn for sale?

This story does not pass the smell test, and clearly seems meant to illustrate in the most absurd fashion how a doctrine you find silly, leads to silliness. And yes, it is an unimaginable horror for someone to “hurl heself out through a basement window.” Very unimaginable.

 

[otjm]

This was not a problem before Vatican II. I believe the progressives are entirely to blame if there is any culpability. They started it by questioning pre-Vatican II practices. Suspect motives at the best. Self-serving ones at the least.

You are right; they started questionibng pre Vatican 2 practices, and even went to far as to bring back some of the practices that were from the earliest Church forward. Heven forbid we should do like the Apostles or the Fathers of the Church.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

You are right; they started questionibng pre Vatican 2 practices, and even went to far as to bring back some of the practices that were from the earliest Church forward. Heven forbid we should do like the Apostles or the Fathers of the Church.

I was for a time also advocating the return of blinding our enemies…

Saner minds prevailed and entreated me to reconsider…

 

[Like]

As someone who has not yet taken their First Communion, and who knows all about proper care of the Eucharist and how important that is, I don’t get why “how” we receive this gift is so important. The important thing is that we DO receive it! Thats ALL that matters. Then again, maybe I’m just silly. I just sit at Mass and break into tears often that I am so unworthy of partaking in such an event, even to witness it, yet so many others who do actually get to consume and have life in them are far too worried about petty things like how the person in front of them is receiving to really focus and realize how amazing the Eucharist really is.

I really hope and pray that, once I am Catholic, I will not allow Communion to become so routine and blah in my mind that pointless arguments like this obscure my gaze on the Lord.

Hang in there homewardbound! And welcome home!

 

[AJV]

I’ve been reading the posts where …(snip) and the agent of its transformation’ (p.71)"

I think this is very true - in a certain very true sense that the above quote mentions.

In another subjective sense though perhaps these things do matter a tad more. The whole Faith in incarnational and sacramental - the Church uses outward material things (like holy water) and commands certain postures (like kneeling) or crossing ourselves. Why? In one sense, we really don’t need these things and the disposition of the heart is more important. But in another sense they enable us to raise our minds “to contemplate the more sublime things” and help convey our interior dispositions which has an effect both on us and on others. Not to mention being a living witness of what we believe.

That said, which do you think that most cultures subjectively attribute more respect to? The things to which they can’t touch. Now the tongue is at least as impure as the hand objectively speaking, but subjectively speaking, lot of the world attributes more sacrility to things not touched. At least that’s the way I see it.

Moreover, what affects the situation more is that there is a change- from one posture to the other- which in the eyes of some could imply less respect. That is why Rome has constantly when granting such permission, reminded about “proper catechesis” to avoid any potential misunderstanding.

 

[LumberGumRubber]

Please do not placate or condescend to me in this fashion. It is not welcome, it is not appropriate. You have made explicitly clear what you think of the Catholic Church and ***de facto ***her teachings. To come here and ask “how many angels on the head of a pin” type questions about having epileptic seizures causing one to “munch up the wafer” is poor form

Dearest ASimpleSinner, obviously you are under great stress shown in your angry tone. Before you blow a cerebral gasket, allow me to bow out and ask no more questions. The one(s) I have asked have been fairly well answered and cleared up some matters for me. I wish you only the best.

 

[BobP123]

As someone who has not yet taken their First Communion, and who knows all about proper care of the Eucharist and how important that is, I don’t get why “how” we receive this gift is so important. The important thing is that we DO receive it! Thats ALL that matters. Then again, maybe I’m just silly. I just sit at Mass and break into tears often that I am so unworthy of partaking in such an event, even to witness it, yet so many others who do actually get to consume and have life in them are far too worried about petty things like how the person in front of them is receiving to really focus and realize how amazing the Eucharist really is.

I really hope and pray that, once I am Catholic, I will not allow Communion to become so routine and blah in my mind that pointless arguments like this obscure my gaze on the Lord.

I agree with you about the fact that we are unworthy, albeit each not to the same degree, about receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. However, I don’t think anyone can convince me that those receiving Christ in a nonchalant “breadline” manner are sending the best message about their belief in the Real Presence. If appearances matter at all, I would think those that receive at the communion rail with a paten under their chin when receiving show their utmost respect for what they are receiving. But that’s me.

 

[ASimpleSinner]

Dearest ASimpleSinner, obviously you are under great stress shown in your angry tone. Before you blow a cerebral gasket, allow me to bow out and ask no more questions. The one(s) I have asked have been fairly well answered and cleared up some matters for me. I wish you only the best.

Most dearest Brother LumberGumRubber,

Thank you so very kindly for your concearn about my gaskets. Obviously you can sense things beyond the obvious stress of being mocked by someone asking leading question … Bless your heart. I wish only for you the best and the truth and hope you are never between the basement window and some soul cursed after “munching the wafer”!

All best and goodness to you!

 

[otjm]

I agree with you about the fact that we are unworthy, albeit each not to the same degree, about receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. However, I don’t think anyone can convince me that those receiving Christ in a nonchalant “breadline” manner are sending the best message about their belief in the Real Presence. If appearances matter at all, I would think those that receive at the communion rail with a paten under their chin when receiving show their utmost respect for what they are receiving. But that’s me.

Your nonchalant “breadline” manner is the same as it was before Vatican 2. Everyone then, as well as now, approached in two lines up the main isle to receive. There is no more a nonchalant breadline manner now than there was then.

You are welcome to your personal opinion. It obvioulsy was not the personal opinion of Christ, who gave us the Eucharist, nor the Apostles, who first received it, and then followed his words and made it available to other believers; nor was it the personal opinion of the Early Church.

If Christ himself were to appear in front of you at Communion and attempt to hand you the Eucharist as he did to the Apostles, would you tell him he was doing it wrong?

Reverence is an attitutde; it can be present in the worst of circumstances and absent in the best. One can receive either way with the right attitude of reverence, or without it. Your choice.

 

[dixieagle]

Your nonchalant “breadline” manner is the same as it was before Vatican 2. Everyone then, as well as now, approached in two lines up the main isle to receive. There is no more a nonchalant breadline manner now than there was then.

You are welcome to your personal opinion. It obvioulsy was not the personal opinion of Christ, who gave us the Eucharist, nor the Apostles, who first received it, and then followed his words and made it available to other believers; nor was it the personal opinion of the Early Church.

If Christ himself were to appear in front of you at Communion and attempt to hand you the Eucharist as he did to the Apostles, would you tell him he was doing it wrong?

Reverence is an attitutde; it can be present in the worst of circumstances and absent in the best. One can receive either way with the right attitude of reverence, or without it. Your choice.

So well said. :clapping:

 

[stmaria]

Your nonchalant “breadline” manner is the same as it was before Vatican 2. Everyone then, as well as now, approached in two lines up the main isle to receive. There is no more a nonchalant breadline manner now than there was then

 

[Brennan_Doherty]

Your nonchalant “breadline” manner is the same as it was before Vatican 2. Everyone then, as well as now, approached in two lines up the main isle to receive. There is no more a nonchalant breadline manner now than there was then.

You are welcome to your personal opinion. It obvioulsy was not the personal opinion of Christ, who gave us the Eucharist, nor the Apostles, who first received it, and then followed his words and made it available to other believers; nor was it the personal opinion of the Early Church.

If Christ himself were to appear in front of you at Communion and attempt to hand you the Eucharist as he did to the Apostles, would you tell him he was doing it wrong?

Reverence is an attitutde; it can be present in the worst of circumstances and absent in the best. One can receive either way with the right attitude of reverence, or without it. Your choice.

Okay, then why don’t we all receive Holy Communion standing on our heads (if the Church were to allow it), since our posture doesn’t make any difference?

Regarding how Holy Communion was distributed at the Last Supper, I’m going to assume no CAF posters were actually there. Further, here is a quote from the article “Rethinking Communion in the Hand” from Homiletic and Pastoral Review:

**6. The Last Supper

** But surely the apostles received Communion in the hand at the last supper? It is usually presumed that this was so. Even if it were, though, we would point out that the apostles were themselves priests, or even, bishops.

But we must not forget a traditional practice of middle-eastern hospitality, which was practiced in Jesus’ time and which is still the case: one feeds one’s guests with one’s own hand, placing a symbolic morsel in the mouth of the guest. And we have scriptural evidence of this as well: our Lord dipped a morsel of bread into some wine, and gave it to Judas. Did he place this wet morsel into Judas’s hand? That would be rather messy. Did he not perhaps extend to the one whom he addressed later in the garden as “Friend” the gesture of hospitality spoken of above? And if so, why not with Holy Communion, “giving himself by his own hand.”

catholic-pages.com/mass/inhand.asp

God bless.

 

[BobP123]

If Christ himself were to appear in front of you at Communion and attempt to hand you the Eucharist as he did to the Apostles, would you tell him he was doing it wrong?

If, shmif. I am not an Apostle. And my hands aren’t ordained.

Okay, then why don’t we all receive Holy Communion standing on our heads (if the Church were to allow it), since our posture doesn’t make any difference?

Exactly. Or pass the ciborium around the Church.

 

[SunshineBfine]

I see people receiving with gum in their mouth. I think that there are many Catholics who do not truly believe that the host/blood of Christ is true. They respect the host/blood as a “sign” of Jesus’ love for use - but I don’t think they believe that the true Presence is in the Eucharist. Some believe that the prayer you say before communion “Lord I am not worthy to receive you - just say the word and I shall be healed” - takes the place of confession and they are good to go.

A friend of mine (religious) were discussing the birth control pill - I asked her why she was still receiving communion while using birth control and she said, “I am not as stringent as you are about the host”. My answer was, “There is only one way to be with the host - totally and absolutely respectful”.

 

[Markstorm]

I see people receiving with gum in their mouth. I think that there are many Catholics who do not truly believe that the host/blood of Christ is true. They respect the host/blood as a “sign” of Jesus’ love for use - but I don’t think they believe that the true Presence is in the Eucharist. Some believe that the prayer you say before communion “Lord I am not worthy to receive you - just say the word and I shall be healed” - takes the place of confession and they are good to go.

A friend of mine (religious) were discussing the birth control pill - I asked her why she was still receiving communion while using birth control and she said, “I am not as stringent as you are about the host”. My answer was, “There is only one way to be with the host - totally and absolutely respectful”.

Preach it, sister.