No, I don't bow to the Precious Blood

[japhy]

*"Another case is the second part of the question regarding the sign of reverence toward the Blood of Christ even though one has already received Communion under the species of bread.

This second sign of reverence is required by liturgical norms for all the faithful and likewise for concelebrating priests who genuflect before partaking of the chalice even though they have already consumed the Host."*
I sure wish he would provide those “liturgical norms” because I would be happy to follow them.

Although whether you should make a sign of reverence to the Chalice if you do not receive from it as you pass by it is STILL up in the air in this thread, the other comment here, about a priest having received the Host and then genuflecting before the receiving from the Chalice is in GIRM 246/a.

But yes, there is still the question as to, if not receiving, is the gesture necessary. One holding the Blessed Sacrament (as in a pyx, ciborium, etc.) would not. But I would offer that the mode of “carrying” when one has consumed the Blessed Sacrament is, well, slightly different at least.

 

[nicolep]

That makes absolutely no sense at all. For someone to genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament reposed in a tabernacle is perfectly fine of course.

To do so while Jesus Christ is sacramentally reposed inside of themselves as He is in the tabernacle seem quite wrong. It’s not simply you genuflecting…

What you have said makes abosolutely no sense to me. The Blood is still Jesus regardless of the fact that I’ve received.

 

[nicolep]

One does not genuflect when holding something, which is why in the entrance procession, candle-bearers and the crucifix-bearer only bow their heads if the tabernacle is in the sanctuary… they don’t genuflect.

And as for making a sign of reverence to the Chalice… well, if you receive from it, yes, you should (cf. GIRM 160)… if you don’t, you are technically in a procession and so that probably excuses you (cf. GIRM 274).

Our priests and those in the procession genuflect when the get up to the tabernacle. I always receive from the cup so it’s a moot point to me. Just stating my opinion…

 

[Hunho]

That makes absolutely no sense at all. For someone to genuflect before the Blessed Sacrament reposed in a tabernacle is perfectly fine of course.

To do so while Jesus Christ is sacramentally reposed inside of themselves as He is in the tabernacle seem quite wrong. It’s not simply you genuflecting…

Explain, please. What you are saying here makes absolutely no sense at all (to me) and I really would like to understand what and why it “seems quite wrong [emphasis added]” to you.

 

[nicolep]

When I have Him in my hands inside of a ciborium, I bow/genuflect/kneel to NO ONE.

Even when reposing the Blessed Scrament in the tabernacle, I would NEVER bow or genuflect while holding a consecrated host in a ciborium or a pyx. Not ever!

If you already know the answer, why start the thread? You obviously don’t want to discuss it…just tell everyone else they are wrong.

Edited - I’m removing myself from the thread. I have no desire to have this kind of conversation. Feel free to ignore this post and any others.

 

[scylla]

So lets look at it this way, if you just received the Eucharist and then Jesus walks in the side door, would you acknowledge Him?

Jesus can be in two places at once, even in those two places we should acknowledge Him each time we see Him.

Now if I am carrying something it is not required that I genuflect. so I should bow my head or show some sort of reverence. In my parish we at the very least stop or pause a moment in front of the Blessed Sacrament, and this is from a pretty loosey-goosey parish.

I understand that Jesus will be present inside of us for a few minutes, but He can be in two places at once and we should respect Him even if He was on one side of the room and at the same time the other.

In Christ
Scylla

 

[LJN21]

Hrmm I think I agree with Spiller.

Both the Body and Blood contain all of the Body Blood Soul and Divinity of Christ. So if you should “reverence” the Blood after already receiving then it would logically fallow that you should offer “reverence” every single time you pass any one of the Eucharistic minsters. Some places I’ve gone would to busy “reverencing” every one you pass you’d hardly be able to think of what you just received

 

[japhy]

Both the Body and Blood contain all of the Body Blood Soul and Divinity of Christ. So if you should “reverence” the Blood after already receiving then it would logically fallow that you should offer “reverence” every single time you pass any one of the Eucharistic minsters. Some places I’ve gone would to busy “reverencing” every one you pass you’d hardly be able to think of what you just received

But do you make a sign of reverence (before you receive Communion) to the people who have received Communion as you pass them (or they pass you)? If not, why? They’re “tabernacles” apparently.

I believe the mode of “carrying” the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle is different from “carrying” it in our bodies. We needn’t make an act of reverence to one who has just received, and we needn’t be discouraged from making an act of reverence before the Sacrament if we have just received.

 

[LJN21]

But do you make a sign of reverence (before you receive Communion) to the people who have received Communion as you pass them (or they pass you)? If not, why? They’re “tabernacles” apparently.

I believe the mode of “carrying” the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle is different from “carrying” it in our bodies. We needn’t make an act of reverence to one who has just received, and we needn’t be discouraged from making an act of reverence before the Sacrament if we have just received.

Actually, I kneel at the communion rail a large majority of the time, there is no worry about a sign of reverence in the EF.

But thats actually my point, where do you draw the line at what need a sign of reverence. Once you have received communion it seems that you should concentrate on whats in your hart instead of exterior signs to every place where Our Lord in the Eucharist is housed.

 

[LJN21]

Wow just re-read the above. Massive typo’s, and missed the edit window.

 

[Servulus]

At Sunday Mass in our parish, a person receiving the Sacred Host may have to pass as many as four Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion on the way back to the pew. Are we suggesting a bow to the Sacred Species at each location?

 

[water]

When not engaged in a liturgical ministry I typically receive under one kind. Not for any theological reason – receiving the Precious Blood via a chalice makes me seriously ravenous!

I was told by our liturgical coordinator that I should reverence the Precious Blood in the chalice as I walk past it. I said no – at that instance I have His Body, Blood Soul and Divinity sacramentally present inside of my own body and that It should be my sole focus.

I remember reading an essay from someone I respected on this matter – it largely formed my own understanding and practice, but I’ll be darned if I can remember who it is.

What are your thoughts?

I get your point…at that moment you are all thinking of Him inside of you.

but here is a little case and see what you would do?
Would you walk away if Jesus appeared somewhere in the parking lot outside the church right after you received the Communion? -

I couldn’t imagine you would sit at the pew and pray but run out of the Church and bow down to Him right at the parking lot.

Just some thought.

 

[Brendan]

Hrmm I think I agree with Spiller.

Both the Body and Blood contain all of the Body Blood Soul and Divinity of Christ. So if you should “reverence” the Blood after already receiving then it would logically fallow that you should offer “reverence” every single time you pass any one of the Eucharistic minsters. Some places I’ve gone would to busy “reverencing” every one you pass you’d hardly be able to think of what you just received

The problem there is that everyone who recently received the Eucharist also has the True Presence within them. Each of those persons are a Tabernacle.

Following your logic, you would also have to reverence everyone you passed who recently recieved.

 

[LJN21]

The problem there is that everyone who recently received the Eucharist also has the True Presence within them. Each of those persons are a Tabernacle.

Following your logic, you would also have to reverence everyone you passed who recently recieved.

Again thats exactly my point. I’ve been to parishes where you can pass 4-6 EMHC should you bow at each one? I’m sorry it just seems overly legalistic, and I’m a traditionalist!

 

[AMDGtoo]

I’m finding it real hard to simply think of everyone a Tabernacle when Jesus is right there in the Precious Blood. (Of course I’d probably be the one who, if she saw Jesus in the Church parking lot as I was leaving Mass, would show Him reverence. I don’t think I’d be saying, “I have no intention of giving You reverence because I’m a Tabernacle now”.)

 

[TobyLue]

There is this other thread concerning genuflecting towards the altar after receiving communion.

I believe I saw a response from Fr. Serpa sometime back (or maybe I have him confused with another priest) that after receiving communion there is no need to bow nor genuflect towards the altar. This would apply to any Chalice holding the Precious Blood.You may want to ask at the Q&A. Personally, I feel that we should concentrate on just having received Jesus, focus our attention on Him, because we have Him and not worry about where else He is. You start looking around and guess what? You have lost focus and you know who wants us to do that. Think about it; you just received Jesus, start talking to Him and then say “Uh, excuse me Lord, I have to geneflect towards the Cup because you are there too, and ooops, wait, there is another one, and wait… there is the Tabernacle.” Come on, let’s be serious.
Now, I bless myself whenever I pass in front of a Catholic Church, while driving or walking as an acknowledgement that Jesus is physically present. In my parish we receive communion by intinction but whenver I go to another parish if I receive only the host and not the cup, I concentrate on having received Jesus and there is no need to worry about whether there is an EMHC somewhere else and bow to each and everyone of them. If that were the case of having to bow, I would have to bow towards all of the EMHC’s that had the host and the cups. Think about the masses held in St. Peter’s Square. There are hundreds of priests distributing communion to thousands. Are those thousands required to bow to all of the hundreds of priest that are holding the Host? No, you bow towards the one that you are receiving from, and focus on just having received our Lord and not worry about where else He may be. I have seen some people when they receive in the hand, take a step or two, face the tabernacle, bow, then consume the host because “Jesus is there in the Tabernacle”. Helloooooo,who do you have in your hand?

 

[LJN21]

I get your point…at that moment you are all thinking of Him inside of you.

but here is a little case and see what you would do?
Would you walk away if Jesus appeared somewhere in the parking lot outside the church right after you received the Communion? -

I couldn’t imagine you would sit at the pew and pray but run out of the Church and bow down to Him right at the parking lot.

Just some thought.

I alway hate those analogy’s. Unless we’re talking about the 2nd Coming it isn’t going to happen. Besides that how much respect does it show for Jesus physically in the Eucharist for everyone to drop what they are doing and run out side to see Him? What if the EMHC were to do this? Jesus is just as much present in the Eucharist as he would be standing in a parking lot.

Making sure you give proper sign exterior respect to every single Host or drop of Precious Blood in the sanctuary is a tad bit problematic and distracting, in my opinion, from the gift of Jesus Himself you just received.

 

[water]

I alway hate those analogy’s. Unless we’re talking about the 2nd Coming it isn’t going to happen. Besides that how much respect does it show for Jesus physically in the Eucharist for everyone to drop what they are doing and run out side to see Him? What if the EMHC were to do this? Jesus is just as much present in the Eucharist as he would be standing in a parking lot.

Making sure you give proper sign exterior respect to every single Host or drop of Precious Blood in the sanctuary is a tad bit problematic and distracting, in my opinion, from the gift of Jesus Himself you just received.

You hated it b/c you didn’t get my point.
Would you run out to the parking lot though?
Even if you hate this, what would you do?

 

[jmcrae]

Using your logic if I am carrying a ciborium full of consecrated hosts I should still genuflect when I pass a tabernacle?

At our parish when the priest is putting the hosts back into the Tabernacle, he genuflects twice - once before putting the hosts in, and once after shutting the door. He also does the same when taking them out. It seems like a completely natural thing to do.

 

[TobyLue]

You hated it b/c you didn’t get my point.
Would you run out to the parking lot though?
Even if you hate this, what would you do?

I agree with LNJ… this is a bad analogy BUT… to answer the WWYD question I would look at my watch, if it has been 15 mins since I received our Lord, I would certainly bow because my understanding is that by that time, the juices in our digestive system have broken down the elements of the host that it is no longer Jesus’ body & blood. If it was much less than that I would go up to Him and give Him a great big hug and ask Him, “Where’s Gabriel, I didn’t hear the horn. Besides, You said we would ALL see you descending on a cloud. What are you doing on this parking lot? Did you drive up on that “MERCEDES” and you’re giving us ALL one, since you are full of “MERCY” (Mercedes, spanish for mercy). Did Matthew, Mark, and Luke get it wrong?.. Man… those dudes didnt listen too well.”

Hey, you put forth a silly analogy, you get a silly answer…