Chewing on the eucharist

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filmmaker

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once the eucharist is in the mouth, is it acceptable to chew? I see priests and such all the time chew away, it’s weird how we’re careful not to drop crumbs or mistreat Jesus in anyway, but once the eucharist in our mouth we chew Jesus, why?
 
I don’t chew the Eucharist. I just let it dissolve. For me, there’s just something not right about chewing it. It seems disrespectful and even mean to do so. I couldn’t do it. I don’t know if there’s a Church law saying you can’t, but for me, I’m just not comfortable with the idea.

Scout :tiphat:
 
There is no reason we should not chew the Eucharist. We are called to “take…eat” – do you normally chew your food? St. John, in his Gospel, uses the word “gnaw” to refer to eating the Eucharist.

Deacon Ed
 
There are other threads on this.

Chewing is perfectly acceptable.

Christ said, “Take and eat.” He didn’t say, “Take and let dissolve.”

Generally, when one eats something, s/he chews it!
 
I’m sure it’s fine for some people, but it’s just not something I would do.

Scout :tiphat:
 
Being a cradle Catholic, I remember there was a time when the host was formulated differently in that when received, one could just dissolve it in their mouths because it was so thin. Then in the '70s or '80s (I can’t remember when), there was a distinct change in the host, which made the consistancy more thicker and more fiberous. I remember this because the priest had to instruct the parish on this “new” host, explaning the reason why this was changed was that when we we recieved it, we can chew it, actually “eating” the Body of Christ. 😃
 
Personally, I usually just let it kinda get to the point that I don’t have to actually chew on it, more just get it small enough to swallow. The problem with just letting it sit is that my mom always said you weren’t supposed to just let it sit on your tounge for a long time. I don’t remember exactly why she said that…but that is why I try to swallow it without having to really chew at it. They are still thin enough that you don’t really have to munch on it before being able to swallow.
 
Our priest specifically tells our First Communicants that the correct way to receive the Eucharist is to chew it, since Christ’s command was ‘take and eat’. Don’t know if this is official church teaching, but it’s what he tells them.
 
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filmmaker:
once the eucharist is in the mouth, is it acceptable to chew? I see priests and such all the time chew away, it’s weird how we’re careful not to drop crumbs or mistreat Jesus in anyway, but once the eucharist in our mouth we chew Jesus, why?
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When Jesus instituted the Eucharist he chose bread and wine to be the signs under which he would be present to us always–**bread to be eaten ** and wine to be drunk. 🙂

If we used bread in the form we commonly know it we would not hesitate to chew it! And neither did the disciples, I’m sure. 😉
 
In most (but not all) of the Eastern Churches leavened bread is used for the Eucharist. We must chew it.

Deacon Ed
 
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ewee:
Personally, I usually just let it kinda get to the point that I don’t have to actually chew on it, more just get it small enough to swallow. The problem with just letting it sit is that my mom always said you weren’t supposed to just let it sit on your tounge for a long time. I don’t remember exactly why she said that…but that is why I try to swallow it without having to really chew at it. They are still thin enough that you don’t really have to munch on it before being able to swallow.
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The reason it’s wrong to let the Host dissolve is that once the Eucharistic species cease to have the appearances of bread and wine (as when the Host is dissolved), the presence of Jesus is gone. Please refer to Paragraph 1377 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. If you have received the Host (and not the Precious Blood) and let it dissolve on your tongue, you have not followed the directive to “take and eat;” you have merely held Our Lord in your mouth for awhile - not at all what He told us to do. If you have had a sip of the Precious Blood and swallowed It, you have received Jesus whole and entire, so you’re not missing out as you would by simply letting the Host dissolve in your mouth.

Ewee’s way of receiving solves both problems mentioned in this thread - there is no chewing, for those who cannot bring themselves to do that, and the Host is swallowed while it still appears to be bread, so Jesus is indeed received.

Betsy
 
I have not received a “dissolvable” host in many years, I guess the practice where I have lived is to use whole wheat and to make a thicker host, which probably goes along with the catechesis my children and grandchildren have had, that Jesus commands us to take and eat, and reminds us My Body is real food and My Blood is real drink. I for one could not swallow it at all without chewing. As long as your mouth remains closed (etiquette) there is no danger of losing any particles.
 
I don’t chew the host. It seems more reverent to me, and I am more mindful of who I am receiving when I let the host dissolve in my mouth. It’s hard to do when the host is thick, but I have plenty of time because I usually sit towards the front. I don’t remember seeing any official rule about NOT chewing the host- or about chewing it, but from what I’ve heard, it was not appropriate to chew the Host 50 years ago and for many years before- are these past few generations so much more enlightened then other generations that we are right when they were wrong for so many years? Just because something isn’t explicitly in the rules doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it- as long as it fosters reverence.
 
I remember the nun who was in our parish back during my First Communion telling us not to chew the host, for you would be “chewing the bones of Jesus!”

But seriously, I can see that the host can be chewed, as long as it doesn’t look like someone is chewing cud or munching on a wad of gum with one’s mouth open. A little bit of decorum should be kept in mind.
 
I just put it in my mouth and let the precious blood disolve it.
 
What about those of us who receive real bread instead of a wafer? Our parish is very generous with their size, so I imagine if i wasn’t allowed to chew it I would still have it in my mouth by the flollowing Sunday!😉

Malia
 
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filmmaker:
once the eucharist is in the mouth, is it acceptable to chew? I see priests and such all the time chew away, it’s weird how we’re careful not to drop crumbs or mistreat Jesus in anyway, but once the eucharist in our mouth we chew Jesus, why?
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Filmmaker,

I am not an expert in Greek, but I have read (from a book written in England) that in John 6 when Jesus is telling the people that they must eat His flesh, the verb He uses the second time He tells them this is best translated as “champ, chew noisily.” My best American equivalent is “munch.” So although I was taught in the Anglican church as a child to let the wafer dissolve in my mouth, I now chew on the Body of Our Lord.
  • Liberian
 
I think Deacon Ed’s post should be read by all to understand what Christ command meant. To “gnaw” as used in John would be the way big cats (lions, tigers etc) devour their catch. Also, the other Greek used is the origin of the word “masticate”. So I would look up the word masticate and then decide for yourself.
 
One really should chew the Eucharist (“take and eat”, the original Greek as “munch” are previously mentioned) and also with the fact that most hosts are much thicker and “substantial” and thus made to be chewed.

Honestly, as long as you don’t look (and act, possibly letting pieces of the Sacred Body of the Lord fall out of your mouth disrespectively) like an old cow chewing its cud out in the pasture-you’re fine.
 
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