The Eucharist's Medieval Shift?

[JacquelineGrace]

Hello!

I have been reading a book by Norman F. Cantor called In The Wake of the Plague: The Black Death & The World It Made. In the book he writes:

"The other shift in late medieval religious sensibility was compulsive focus on the body of Christ. This inspired the elaboration of the Corpus Christi festivals and procession in fashion of taking the sacramental wafer as often as possible, instead of the old prescribed minimum communion of once a year. Eating Jesus in the Mass became the self-help model of late medieval Christianity."

I am a history major in college :thumbsup: and this is a voluntary read. I picked up the book as I am very interested in medieval history and thought it would be a great addition to my knowledge and book collection.

So, my questions are:

What's your take on it? Is it true? Why did it occur? Could you clarify it for me?  :confused:

I am in RCIA and will be grateful for any information. It would be wonderful if you could included historical accounts and words from the Church fathers.

Blessings,
    JacquelineGrace :crossrc:

 

[TrueMass]

“The other shift in late medieval religious sensibility was compulsive focus on the body of Christ. This inspired the elaboration of the Corpus Christi festivals and procession in fashion of taking the sacramental wafer as often as possible, instead of the old prescribed minimum communion of once a year. Eating Jesus in the Mass became the self-help model of late medieval Christianity.”

First, a few things about this passage signal to me that the author is hostile to the Eucharist, if not Catholicism.

“Compulsive focus”? “Eloboration” ? “Sacramental wafer”? “Eating Jesus”? “Self-help model”? These terms are disguised jabs at the Faith.

The devotion to Our Lord in the Eucharist gradually increased through the centuries. It was not a “compulsive focus” as if it were some psychological disorder.

Catholics also did not receive Holy Communion “as often as possible” in the Middle Ages. Reception was still infrequent due to reverence of the Blessed Sacrament and a belief that one must be seriously prepared and sufficiently mortified to receive Our Lord. Frequent Communion wasn’t widespread until after Pius X.

Receiving the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord is not some cheap “self-help” model. It is the means willed by Almighty God by which He deigned to communicate His very self to us underneath the appearances of bread and wine for our sanctification and salvation.

 

[Crumpy]

It’s good that you have taken an interest in this subject.

I’m “booked” – too many books. I bought an expensive two-volume set on the Eucharist that Fr. Mitch Pacwq (EWTN) mentioned. He was excited to mention the observations of this historian about the Eucharist, because the author was not Catholic, and thus offers somewhat of a non-biased history of the Eucharist.

But, these books are on my reading pile and I haven’t gotten to them yet. Can’t answer this from the historical perspective.

The history of the sacraments would be an interesting study, indeed. Even in my lifetime, there was a marked attempt to increase the participation in the Eucharist. My current pastor who is past the age of 70 told me why the “Holy Name Society” was disbanded.

They used to be a group of men who received the Eucharist in a group, once a month. But, they were disbanded, as the organization seemed to have fulfilled its purpose in increasing the regular communion with the Sacrament.

My opinion: if there was a period of non-participation in the Eucharist, it might be conceptually related to collective amnesia of the Bible.

The “tree of life” in the garden of Eden is a ‘type’ of the sacrament of Eucharist, whereby we eat the “fruit” of the tree and live forever. But, the eating is not depicted as a one-time event, but something done continually.

The imagery of the tree of life is one of the concluding images in the book of Revelation.

 

[Cat_Herder]

The Orthodox of course hold to the Real Presence and that destroys the author’s theory (and all other “Catholicism was made up in the middle ages” bunkum.)

 

[po18guy]

Prof. Cantor (R.I.P.) was a historian, and I can find no evidence of any theological studies. As well, I see no reference to his religiosity, if indeed any existed. What I have seen points to a purely secular worldview on his part. However, his opinions as revealed in his publications, show a certain disdain, or at least a lack of historical respect for the Church.

As to the Holy Eucharist, read 1 Corinthians 10 and 11. Saint Paul spoke heavily about the Eucharist, and its unworthy reception. He taught the examination of conscience prior to reception, and damnation for unworthy reception. Now, as to frequency of reception, that has apparently changed over time - according to the Church’s authority to make change.

Do you have copy of Catholicism for Dummies? I believe that the Pope could learn something from it. As a catechumen (and that term is worth investigating on its own), I believe that this book would be of great assistance on your journey.

 

[laszlo]

He is probably wrong about the ‘eating Jesus frequently’ habit. Wrong, even if you say "receiving the communion freqeuently’

In the first millennium the main object of the worship in the West was Christ’s presence through the Church’ . The Church was not the clerical/magisterial Church of the 19th and early 20th centuries, both the whole community, representing Christ in the World.

The Christians through the first millennium were minority, and mostly powerless people (this was the main difference from the East) The, around the turn of the 2nd millennium everything changed: the Christianity became the only accepted religion of the West. The Christian leader were not any more candidates for the martyrdom, but unlike Christ, the rulers of the world.

We need something what is sacred. The common thing, what is everyone, is not considered as ‘set aside’ for God. So new objects were found, the adoration of the Eucharist and the veneration of Mary. The two are not on the same level, but bot is far away, unique, sacred.

As for the frequent communion, the adoration worked against it: one do not eat sacred things. The sacred has to be far away from the everyday life.

It was St Pius X and in his path the XXI Ecumenical council, which wanted to find balance between the presences of Christ (Church and Eucharist) and between the adoration and the daily supernatural food (Matt 6:11 Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.)

 

[ProVobis]

Wrong, even if you say "receiving the communion freqeuently’

You probably mean sacramentally.

Trent encouraged spiritual communion if not “frequent” sacramental communion.

Daily sacramental communion requires (1) to live every day in a state of being able to receive worthily or (2) frequent confession as well. (Venial sins can add up.) Also fasting. Those who advocate as much sacramental communion as possible seem to ignore the necessary disposition.

 

[laszlo]

You probably mean sacramentally.

Trent encouraged spiritual communion if not “frequent” sacramental communion.

Daily sacramental communion requires (1) to live every day in a state of being able to receive worthily or (2) frequent confession as well. (Venial sins can add up.) Also fasting. Those who advocate as much sacramental communion as possible seem to ignore the necessary disposition.

#881 … our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His own beloved soul
as the price of our salvation, and gave us His “own flesh to eat” [John
6:48 ff.], they may believe and venerate these sacred mysteries of His
body and blood with that constancy and firmness of faith, with that
devotion of soul, that piety and worship, as to be able to receive
frequently that “supersubstantial bread” Matt. 6:11], and that it may
be to them truly the life of the soul and the perpetual health of mind,

seems to desire frequent physical communion. However my opinion is that the new adoration of the Eucharist (started at the beginning of the 2nd millennium) significantly diminished the number of communions, and only St Pius X turned the trend recommending frequent confessions and frequent communion. When I was child everyone who received communion was supposed to confess his sins at least weekly.

Also it seems to me, that until the Absolutism (18th Century) the concept of the mortal sin was significantly looser, especially in sexual matters than now. I have a ‘mirror of conscience’ in Hungarian from the time of Trent, which classifies only the established habits (the Capital sins: pride, envy, wrath, sloth greed gluttony, lust) as mortal sins.

 

[JacquelineGrace]

Thank you all for your replies! They are all very enlightening. I have not finished the book but that passage caused me a bit of confusion and I had to know what you all thought. I thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut and guidance to a new catechumen. I am still not exactly clear on it all but I am sure I will get there… I just need to read more. LOL!

One major question though regarding:

We need something what is sacred. The common thing, what is everyone, is not considered as ‘set aside’ for God. So new objects were found, the adoration of the Eucharist and the veneration of Mary. The two are not on the same level, but bot is far away, unique, sacred.

You say they were “found”. Does that mean that Cantor was somewhat right? That the Eucharist was in fact done less often prior to medieval times? Sorry if the answer is apparent… I’m new to all this.

po18guy, I do not have Catholisim for Dummies. Guess I need to go get it, hmm? Thanks for the advice!

Crumpy, what is the name of the book set you mentioned? I would love to read it also.

Blessings,
JacquelineGrace

 

[Joannm]

Thank you all for your replies! They are all very enlightening. I have not finished the book but that passage caused me a bit of confusion and I had to know what you all thought. I thank you all for your (name removed by moderator)ut and guidance to a new catechumen. I am still not exactly clear on it all but I am sure I will get there… I just need to read more. LOL!

One major question though regarding:

You say they were “found”. Does that mean that Cantor was somewhat right? That the Eucharist was in fact done less often prior to medieval times? Sorry if the answer is apparent… I’m new to all this.

po18guy, I do not have Catholisim for Dummies. Guess I need to go get it, hmm? Thanks for the advice!

Crumpy, what is the name of the book set you mentioned? I would love to read it also.

Blessings,
JacquelineGrace

Based on my studies, and I have 3 degrees in Theology, the Middle Ages saw a lessing in frequency of receiving communion as well as a more passive role of the laity. It was during this time that the shift from “real” bread to small hosts was made, that the cup was with held from the laity, and the focus became adoration of the Eucharist by the laity, the seeing of the Eucharist rather than receiving it. This is why the rule was established that people must receive once a year, because they stopped receiving also due to an inordinate sense of unworthiness.

 

[JacquelineGrace]

Based on my studies, and I have 3 degrees in Theology, the Middle Ages saw a lessing in frequency of receiving communion as well as a more passive role of the laity. It was during this time that the shift from “real” bread to small hosts was made, that the cup was with held from the laity, and the focus became adoration of the Eucharist by the laity, the seeing of the Eucharist rather than receiving it. This is why the rule was established that people must receive once a year, because they stopped receiving also due to an inordinate sense of unworthiness.

Ah ha! Got it! So kind of like, once a year is better than none at all?

Could these (withholding of the cup, seeing vs receiving, etc…) have stemmed from the possible transmission of disease also, such as the Black Plague? Or was that not even thought of? I know that medieval medicine was not as scientifically based as it is now. However, it seems likely to me that it could have been a factor in this, no?

Blessings,
JacquelineGrace

 

[Labarum]

Read Acts and St. Paul’s letters. You will see that the Eucharist was celebrated often and was a major focus for the early Christians.

 

[laszlo]

You say they were “found”. Does that mean that Cantor was somewhat right? That the Eucharist was in fact done less often prior to medieval times? Sorry if the answer is apparent… I’m new to all this.

We know that when the Regula of St Benedict was written

• there were no daily masses
• many abbeys had not resident priests

The Church Law requiring to receive the Eucharist at least once a year goes back to the medieval eves, probably that was the norm.

In the medieval eves as far as I know the frequency of the Holy Communion did not changed, only the importance of the adoration. The most important was the viaticum for the sick, not the frequent communion.

 

[JacquelineGrace]

We know that when the Regula of St Benedict was written

• there were no daily masses
• many abbeys had not resident priests

The Church Law requiring to receive the Eucharist at least once a year goes back to the medieval eves, probably that was the norm.

In the medieval eves as far as I know the frequency of the Holy Communion did not changed, only the importance of the adoration. The most important was the viaticum for the sick, not the frequent communion.

Okay! I really need to read up on more of this but I thank you for your great answers until I do!

Blessings,
JacquelineGrace

 

[Warrenton]

You say they were “found”. Does that mean that Cantor was somewhat right? That the Eucharist was in fact done less often prior to medieval times? Sorry if the answer is apparent… I’m new to all this.

No, the eucharist was celebrated at least weekly, then as now. However, priests were usually limited to one mass per day.

How often people took the sacrament is open to some debate - probably between one and three or four times per year, and on special occasions. Mass was said and communion distributed before battles, for example.

Also, in the middle ages, the mass was viewed as the capstone of a prayer-edifice that included the liturgy of the hours and other communal forms of prayer. Daily mass was less common, because people gathered daily to pray the liturgy, such as vespers, or the angelus. The infrequency of communion was based on the people’s reverence, not their disregard. That this is true is seen in the Reformers’ unsuccesful efforts to stimulate frequent communion.

Cantor is probably correct that the 14th century ushered in changes - one would expect there to be changes, considering that 1 out of 4 to 2 out of 5 people were dead by the century’s end. Imagine the changes at your college if nearly half your professors and classmates perished.

But if Cantor is implying that the mass was not important, or was not attended, then he is incorrect.