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Receiving (not taking) Communion: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "** page under construction** As a Catholic convert, it is unclear to me whether or not Catholics generally refer to receiving the Sacrament of Comununion as "taking Communion" or "receiving Communion." As a Catholic, I understand fully that one does not "take" a Holy Sacrament -- one receives it through the Holy Spirit and by the Grace of God.")
 
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** page under construction**  
** page under construction**  


As a Catholic convert, it is unclear to me whether or not Catholics generally refer to receiving the Sacrament of Comununion as "taking Communion" or "receiving Communion." As a Catholic, I understand fully that one does not "take" a Holy Sacrament -- one receives it through the Holy Spirit and by the Grace of God.
I don't recall, prior to becoming a Catholic, referring to the Rite of Communion as anything but "taking Communion." As a Catholic, I still hear the phrase, so I do my best as a catechist to teach why we "recieve" and do not "take" Holy Communion.
 
The USCCB's guide [https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/order-of-mass/liturgy-of-the-eucharist/the-reception-of-holy-communion-at-mass The Reception of Holy Communion at Mass] uses the word "take" twice in reference to recieving the Sacrament, both in terms of its proper reception from one hand to the other:
 
<pre>The host will then be laid in the palm of the left hand and then taken by the right hand to the mouth. If one is left-handed this is reversed. It is not appropriate to reach out with the fingers and take the host from the person distributing.</pre>
 
The word "receive" occurs nineteen times, always in terms of our participation in the Eucharist as recipients, and not "takers" the Lord's Body and Blood.
 
== Gospel accounts of the Lord's Supper ==
 
Jesus "gave" or instructed the disciples to "take" from him (which means "receive from me") his Body and Blood. As we ssee in
'''Matthew''':
<pre>''and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body."'' [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/26:26 Mt 26:26]</pre>
 
'''Mark''':
<pre>''and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body."''[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/14?22 Mk 14:22]</pre>
 
'''Luke''':
<pre>''"Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them''" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/22?19 Lk 22:19 ]</pre>
 
== Sacrament ==