How to receive?

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Tell that to the Byzantines, who always receive standing. And who go through the entire liturgy standing as well. There’s nothing inherently reverent about any particular posture. If you kneel with bad motivations, your kneeling isn’t reverent.

-Fr ACEGC
 
With respect, Father,
that’s all fine but… and I don’t know about you, if the Lord God Almighty were to appear right before me I’m sure that not only would my knees hit the ground, but so would my face. I would probably tremble. I wouldn’t care what anyone near me thinks of my I intentions or motivations. Nor do I when I receive.
 
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Okay, but that doesn’t really address my point. Glad you would show such reverence to our Lord, everyone should. But that isn’t really an argument in response to what I said.

My point is that there isn’t an inherently superior physical posture for receiving. You seem to indicate that kneeling is better than standing. If you can explain to me why this is, I’ll happily concede the point, and I’ll speak with my local Byzantine priest about how he needs to encourage greater reverence for the Eucharist.

And you should care about your intentions when you receive, whether you kneel or stand. If you’re doing so without being properly disposed, you might be sinning.

-Fr ACEGC
 
edward_george1 said:
No, it was a reference to the post I was responding to.
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Yes, but that post was referencing kneeling.
I am confused here.

If standing and kneeling are the same as far as reverence is concerned, why do people seem to speak of kneeling as a more reverent posture?
 
I was commending ThomasMT for the reverence he said he would display if the Lord appeared before him.

I’m trying to make the point that a particular physical posture isn’t inherently more reverent. Reverence is an interior disposition.
 
To your final point…
edward_george1 said:
If you’re doing so without being properly disposed, you might be sinning.
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One’s disposition should always be to show humility and respect. For me personally, this (kneeling) is the most obvious manner of given options. Even if I do it when my faith is weak, I do it because I need to remember that my faith should be strong… especially if my children are with me and I am nurturing their faith in the true presence. For them, outward appearances teach a lot more than we think.

Regarding your initial point…
edward_george1 said:
My point is that there isn’t an inherently superior physical posture for receiving. You seem to indicate that kneeling is better than standing.
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Regarding posture, I dont know about being “superior” or “better,” but kneeling would be more reverent. As you already admited…
edward_george1 said:
Glad you would show such reverence to our Lord, everyone should.
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ThomasMT said:
As you already admited…
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I didn’t admit your point. I was talking about your post in total, where you so boldly proclaimed how reverent you would be if the Lord showed up.
ThomasMT said:
As far as the Byzantine Rite is concerned, we have the fullness of truth in the Holy Roman Catholic Church. It is of little concern to me how those outside of our faith choose to worship. I would save my efforts for convincing them to come into full union with Rome😉
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They are in full union with Rome, and that isn’t really very funny.

If you want to have a real discussion, quit jumping around and making jokes. It borders on insulting to me.
 
You could make the argument that kneeling might help you to be more reverent. That’s certainly true, but notice that that statement is conditional. If kneeling disposes you toward being a holier-than-thou jerk, it has the opposite effect.

You could also make the argument that there are times and places where kneeling is more ideal, and not kneeling is not good, as when the rubrics mandate it. It would be inherently irreverent to not kneel at those times, but only if one was doing so out of disobedience. Some people can’t kneel.

By the same token, you could argue there are times it is inappropriate to kneel, as when attending an Eastern Liturgy. It’s contrary to their practice.

Better a good heart in a standing body than a bad heart in a kneeling one. Posture isn’t magic.

And with that, I’m done.
 
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edward_george1 said:
you so boldly proclaimed how reverent you would be if the Lord showed up.
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I think that it’s fair to say that human nature would prompt us all to react in similar fashion, nothing bold about that. Even a wicked fool would likely be so humbled under such an extraordinary event.
 
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I think there’s a problem of making yourself standout from the rest, regardless of the motive.

If the majority of receiving while standing, then don’t make yourself stand out from them by kneeling.

Receiving in the hand or tongue, the Church allows both, but historically, the reason for receiving on the tongue only came about because of abuses some people made. If you’re not planning to abuse the Eucharist, there is nothing irreverent by receiving in the hand.
 
edward_george1 said:
holier-than-thou jerk, it has the opposite effect.
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Clearly I hit a nerve of biased assumptions… sorry that you have had to deal with such jerks. Please do not assume that I’m one of them. I don’t think that I had given you reason to. This is an online forum, do not presume to be able to read someone more than you reasonably can. Again… with all due respect.
 
Please don’t presume I was speaking about you. I was using a reductio ad absurdum to make my point. I was speaking in the abstract and intended no presumption of your motives. Clearly I’ve hit a nerve of some kind.
 
My recollection is that we stand for the Gospel reading, a special sign of reverence when it is proclaimed.
 
Right, since that’s exactly what happened when Jesus appeared on earth. Certainly no one opposed him, everyone just bowed down before him.

If you think that “even a wicked fool” would show reverence before the Almighty, then clearly you don’t understand the fallenness of human nature. See the story of Judas. And besides, this still wasn’t a response to what I was arguing.
 
I thought that the assumption was clear that I was describing a revelation where God presents Himself in his Glory. Sorry for the misunderstanding of the point.
Yes, in the manner you describe I would obviously have no right to make presumptions.
 
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JimR-OCDS said:
I think there’s a problem of making yourself standout from the rest, regardless of the motive.
…
Receiving in the hand or tongue, the Church allows both, but historically, the reason for receiving on the tongue only came about because of abuses some people made. If you’re not planning to abuse the Eucharist, there is nothing irreverent by receiving in the hand.
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Some may fear accidental abuse. After all, particles may stick to the palm and be subject to desecration. I once saw an extraordinary minister, after receiving in hand, licking his palm while up in the sanctuary. Very good of him to have noticed the particles and have done so, but it seems a bit silly to be put in that situation. That alone may be a reason to justify “standing out.” And yes… internal intent is the main factor.
 
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