Receive what you already are

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nodito

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A priest I didn’t recognize said Easter Mass at my parish today. I noticed him changing some of the words of the Mass (e.g., “The Lord is with you” rather than “The Lord be with you”) but nothing too egregious.

However, when I went for communion, he held up the Eucharist and said very deliberately, “Receive what you already are, the Body of Christ.”

I don’t really like emoticons or I’d insert one here that has popping eyes and a gaping mouth.

I get that we are the body of Christ, in the figurative sense. But the Eucharist is the Body of Christ in the literal sense. And it struck me as terribly wrong for him to change these particular words. Am I off base here?

I’m really not one to scream “abuse!” at every little deviation but this one seems so off kilter that I’m thinking of dropping a note to my pastor. What would you do?
 
I would actually talk to my pastor. I’d ask who the priest was, tell him of my experience and go from there.
 
This actually reminds me of the homily at my parish from Holy Thursday. Through receiving Christ in the Eucharist we become more closely configured to him - becoming like him. At the same time however, we also become ourselves - that is, who we truly are. There may well be some wisdom in your priest’s words…
 
InThePew said:
This actually reminds me of the homily at my parish from Holy Thursday. Through receiving Christ in the Eucharist we become more closely configured to him - becoming like him. At the same time however, we also become ourselves - that is, who we truly are. There may well be some wisdom in your priest’s words…
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Possibly, but an inappropriate place for pointing it out, no?
 
Nodito,
Yes, mention it to your pastor. We had a situation where the substitute priest was off-beat (to say the least) and he was never invited back to substitute. You could tell your priest what happened and ask what to di in situations like that 🙂
 
Wow. Receive what I already am? I am **not **the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, etc., etc. When the Priest says “The Body of Christ” he means all that - or he’s supposed to.

I agree with the above posters, please report this to your pastor.
 
This is blatant liturgical abuse, plain and simple. It sounds innocuous to those who know what the Eucharist truly is and can ignore it, but for a chlld or someone without a strong faith foundation, it could be confusing, at best. There is a crisis in the Church regarding proper respect for the Blessed Sacrament, and this “liturgical improv” is not at all helpful. Please report this to the diocese. And join me in praying for this priest.
 
nodito said:
I get that we are the body of Christ, in the figurative sense. But the Eucharist is the Body of Christ in the literal sense. And it struck me as terribly wrong for him to change these particular words. Am I off base here?
Click to expand...
Well, we are the Body of Christ – and not just in a ‘figurative’ sense! But, yeah, the Eucharist is also the Body of Christ – not only in a ‘literal’ sense, but in a sacramental one, and in a way that’s different from the way that we’re the Body of Christ…

And yeah, adding “receive what you already are” isn’t terribly kosher… :nope:
 
nodito said:
A priest I didn’t recognize said Easter Mass at my parish today. I noticed him changing some of the words of the Mass (e.g., “The Lord is with you” rather than “The Lord be with you”) but nothing too egregious.

However, when I went for communion, he held up the Eucharist and said very deliberately, “Receive what you already are, the Body of Christ.”

I don’t really like emoticons or I’d insert one here that has popping eyes and a gaping mouth.

I get that we are the body of Christ, in the figurative sense. But the Eucharist is the Body of Christ in the literal sense. And it struck me as terribly wrong for him to change these particular words. Am I off base here?

I’m really not one to scream “abuse!” at every little deviation but this one seems so off kilter that I’m thinking of dropping a note to my pastor. What would you do?
Click to expand...
USCCB, Prayer and Worship, The Mass, Order of Mass, The Reception of Holy Communion at Mass:The person distributing Communion says audibly to each person approaching, “The Body of Christ.” This formula should not be altered, as it is a proclamation which calls for a response of faith on the part of the one who receives. The communicant should audibly respond, “Amen,” indicating by that response his or her belief that this small wafer of bread, the wine in this chalice are in reality the body and blood of Christ the Lord.
usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/order-of-mass/liturgy-of-the-eucharist/the-reception-of-holy-communion-at-mass.cfm
 
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