"Chewing the Eucharist is like torturing Jesus"?

[Dennis35]

Dennis,
Welcome back - and welcome to the boards too.
As I said earlier…I too was taught as a child not to chew the host, but then we used a different type of host back in those days. Those little “white bread” hosts would just melt away so easily. The host’s used today don’t do that as quickly. Also, maybe it’s just me, but I think the host’s today are a bit larger…

Jesus said “eat” and my understanding of the Greek word used there is that it actually means to “gnaw” or “chew”. That helped me a lot.

Lastly - as to the priest - he always has chewed the host. For him, even with the “softer host” it is a practical matter due to the large host used at the Altar.

Peace
James

Thanks for your hospitality James… I had forgotton about when the hosts use to be “white as snow”. I do remember the “size” of the host being alot smaller…So you are correct when you said “but I think the host’s today are a bit larger”
I really have a hard time with “change”…I quess that is what this is all about

 

[JRKH]

Thanks for your hospitality James… I had forgotton about when the hosts use to be “white as snow”. I do remember the “size” of the host being alot smaller…So you are correct when you said “but I think the host’s today are a bit larger”
I really have a hard time with “change”…I quess that is what this is all about

Yes - The change in the host was a bit of a “shock” to me also when I returned to the church. I was actually thankful for receiving under both species as the blood helps to facilitate the breakdown of the body.

I noticed that when I would attend the EF mass near us, they use the white hosts.

Peace
James

 

[Gorgias]

I was actually thankful for receiving under both species as the blood helps to facilitate the breakdown of the body.

James,

I’m not certain that you meant it in the way that I’m reading it, but just so that there’s no confusion when folks read your comment:

The host isn’t just the ‘body’ and the Precious Blood isn’t just the ‘blood’: the “Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ” is present in both species, equally and fully! To assert otherwise means that we’re confusing the physical species with the sacramental presence of Christ!

Blessings,

G.

 

[snarflemike]

This subject makes me a little crazy. I realize people can’t help what they were taught, but the idea of eating Jesus “delicately” is just a form of scrupulosity, IMO. I’ve also been told that people were taught to drink water after communion because it was more “pure” than saliva. Arrgh!!! God made us and declared his creation very good. That includes our teeth and our saliva.

And a question re the original “torturing Jesus” comment by a Protestant: do we have the power to torture Jesus against his will?

 

[JRKH]

James,

I’m not certain that you meant it in the way that I’m reading it, but just so that there’s no confusion when folks read your comment:

The host isn’t just the ‘body’ and the Precious Blood isn’t just the ‘blood’: the “Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ” is present in both species, equally and fully! To assert otherwise means that we’re confusing the physical species with the sacramental presence of Christ!

Blessings,

G.

I appreciate the clarification. Certainly we receive all of Christ when we receiver either species…
Of course at the institution of the Eucharist as recorded in Scripture - and at each an every consecration - we here the words “This is my body” (when presenting the bread) and “This is my blood” when presenting the wine…

Peace
James

 

[JohnTomHoc]

That would be old Latin Catholic things. In some Eastern Catholic Churches, since we use leavened bread, one must chew or you can’t swallow. I chew with my front teeth so that Christ’s Body doesn’t get stuck in my back teeth (molars).

I believe US Catholic culture had a double whammy, by (a) being immersed in the Protestant culture & wishing to emphasize the Church teaching so it was unmistakeably and (b) sharing the literalism of that culture in so many ways.

We strain at gnats while we chew (or just shallow whole) camels .