Why is the Body served at Mass but not the Blood?

[Craisin]

This question is regarding the Eucharist being distributed to the Church after the holy sacrifice in the Catholic Mass. I’ve noticed that often in Catholic churches the Body is distributed to the people but the Blood is often not and is just reserved for the priests, deacons, and Eucharistic ministers (I think this is what I observed at my local church at least…). After reading on multiple occasions about John ch. 6 and Christ pronouncing, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you,” I am wondering why the Blood of Christ then is not also distributed among the people of the Church? I am a bit puzzled on this…

Thanks!

 

[SD_Catholic]

This question is regarding the Eucharist being distributed to the Church after the holy sacrifice in the Catholic Mass. I’ve noticed that often in Catholic churches the Body is distributed to the people but the Blood is often not and is just reserved for the priests, deacons, and Eucharistic ministers (I think this is what I observed at my local church at least…). After reading on multiple occasions about John ch. 6 and Christ pronouncing, “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you,” I am wondering why the Blood of Christ then is not also distributed among the people of the Church? I am a bit puzzled on this…

Thanks!

Many Catholic Churches do offer both, but sometimes only the “body” is offered… The main reason is that the 2 cannot be seperated… You cannot seperate Christ’s body from his blood, therefore if you receive his body you are also recieving his blood. Both are offered at my Church but for now I still only recieve the body, although many recieve both.

SD

 

[Spirithound]

There are perhaps some logistical reasons for not offering the Blood of Christ to the congregation, being if there is a large congregation, much wine must be consecrated, or there may not be enough Ordinary or EMHCs.

 

[Other_Eric]

Both the Body and Blood of Christ are present under the species of bread.

 

[Evan]

Comment: The 2nd Vatican council allowed the distribution of the consecrated wine on special occasions (Weddings, Ordinations, etc). Somehow in the US, every mass has become “special” so many people expect the distribution of both species all the time.

 

[ahollars]

This is one of those profound details that every priest knows, but most people don’t talk about it. Now pay attention… anyone ever notice how when we’re all praying “Lamb of God” that the priest will break up the large Host that he held up, take a small piece off of It, and drop It into the chalice. The Body is no longer separate from the Blood. They are united, because Jesus is risen, and alive!

 

[coolduude]

The other posters are 100% right.

Spirithound is thinking what I’m thinking.

For instance, I’m in a Catholic high school, and they don’t offer the Blood at Mass. I guess there’s just no place to store it (we don’t have a church).

But my parish does offer both.

 

[Melissa]

This is one of those profound details that every priest knows, but most people don’t talk about it. Now pay attention… anyone ever notice how when we’re all praying “Lamb of God” that the priest will break up the large Host that he held up, take a small piece off of It, and drop It into the chalice. The Body is no longer separate from the Blood. They are united, because Jesus is risen, and alive!

Bingo!

The point is not whether one or two species is offered … whether you receive under one or both, you have received everything. (My parish ordinarily distributes under one species. Exceptions are at Christmas and a few other special feast days.) The only way Body and Blood are truly separable are in a dead body.

 

[benedictgal]

I believe that the best explanation comes to us from the Angelic Doctor himself, St. Thomas Aquinas, whose feast we celebrated this past Wednesday:

Here beneath these signs are hidden
priceless things, to sense forbidden;
signs, not things, are all we see.
Flesh from bread, and Blood from wine,
yet is Christ in either sign,
all entire confessed to be.

And whoe’er of Him partakes,
severs not, nor rends, nor breaks:
all entire, their Lord receive.
Whether one or thousand eat,
all receive the selfsame meat,
nor do less for others leave.

This comes from the venerable hymn, Lauda Sion, which comprises the sequence we sing/pray during the Solemnity of Christ the King.

Christ is present entirely and whole in either species. If only the species of the Sacred Host is offered, we are not receiving less than had both species been offered.

 

[Cluny]

Communion is distributed all the time in both species in Eastern Catholic Churches.