Receiving Eucharist on Tongue

[ProVobis]

This is true, and exactly what a Bishop explained recently. Apparently that is the best translation from the Greek. Confirmed by Greek scholar Fr. Richard Simon on Relevant Radio.

St. Jerome was a Greek scholar as well. And had more documents available to him than we have now. Surely if the specific instructions were to use teeth to consume the Body of Christ, we would have read them over 1600 years ago. There is no theological reason IMO to create communion wafers larger than what can be easily digested, with or without teeth.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

St. Jerome was a Greek scholar as well. And had more documents available to him than we have now. Surely if the specific instructions were to use teeth to consume the Body of Christ, we would have read them over 1600 years ago. There is no theological reason IMO to create communion wafers larger than what can be easily digested, with or without teeth.

Which still does not change the fact that some parishes use a wafer which is quite thick and which would not dissolve in any reasonable amount of time. It is also my experience that some priests use a quite large host - almost the size of a small saucer - which is scored into segments and which the priest breaks and distributes along with the conventional hosts. Some of the pre-scored pieces are quite large, triangular in shape, and likewise require chewing in order to swallow.

 

[ProVobis]

Which still does not change the fact that some parishes use a wafer which is quite thick and which would not dissolve in any reasonable amount of time.

Precisely my point. I don’t know why they do this as any small amount suffices. In fact, it seems like poor theology to imply the more host the better. And it’s all bread so how can they say the hosts are now designed to look more like bread?

It is also my experience that some priests use a quite large host - almost the size of a small saucer - which is scored into segments and which the priest breaks and distributes along with the conventional hosts. Some of the pre-scored pieces are quite large, triangular in shape, and likewise require chewing in order to swallow.

I’ve experienced the same. I have to admit it’s challenging to digest without using teeth. But the triangular form might make communion on the tongue easier, if held properly.

Incidentally the only instances of teeth I’ve found in the Bible are those associated with “oculum pro oculo, dentem pro dente, manum pro manu, pedem pro pede” (eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, etc.)

 

[Cavaille-Coll]

Do not worry about chewing the Host. It is often necessary and it is not a sin. Before the 1970’s, most hosts were made very thin so that they would dissolve quickly when placed on the tongue. Today, they tend to be thicker and some manufacturers make them extra thick as a selling point for being more bread-like. These don’t dissolve very well and require chewing.