Receiving (not taking) Communion: Difference between revisions
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Even from Catholics, one | Even from Catholics, one may hear the Rite of Communion referred to -- incorrectly -- as "taking Communion." | ||
A source of the confusion may stem from the verb "partake", which is used for reception of Communion by many Protestant churches. The use of "partake," however, is deliberately distinct from "recieve", indicating "sharing in" or "participating" as opposed to reception. | A source of the confusion may stem from the verb "partake", which is used for reception of Communion by many Protestant churches. The use of "partake," however, is deliberately distinct from "recieve", indicating "sharing in" or "participating" as opposed to reception, so even in the Protestant sense of "sharing" Communion with the Lord, "receiving" is incomplete, at best. | ||
This website is uninterested in apologetic debates, so we will not get further into the Protestant choice of words here, and, instead, focus on Catholic teaching of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and Sacraments in general. | This website is uninterested in apologetic debates (i.e., Catholic v. Protestant, etc.), so we will not get further into the Protestant choice of words here, and, instead, focus on Catholic teaching of the Sacrament of the Eucharist and Sacraments in general. | ||
== Receiving Communion == | == Receiving Communion == | ||
In the US Catholic Bishops (USCCB) 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] the word "take" appears twice | In the US Catholic Bishops (USCCB) 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] the word "take" appears only twice, and both times in terms of the proper reception of the host on to one hand, then "taking" it by the other: | ||
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. | 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. | ||
By contrast, the word "receive" occurs nineteen times, always in terms of our participation in the Eucharist as recipients | While the guide does not provide a theological reason for not taking the host from the Eucharstic Minister, we can infer from "not appropriate" and "the person distributing" that the Eucharist is ''given'' and not ''taken''. | ||
By contrast, the word "receive" occurs nineteen times in the guide, always in terms of our participation in the Eucharist as recipients of the Lord's Body and Blood. | |||
== Gospel accounts of the Lord's Supper == | == Gospel accounts of the Lord's Supper == | ||
As we see in the | As we see in the Gospels, Jesus either "gave" the Bread and the Cup to the disciples or or instructed them disciples to "take" it from him -- key preposition there, "from", as it indicates they they are to receive it from him: | ||
'''Matthew''': | '''Matthew''': | ||
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'''Luke''': | '''Luke''': | ||
''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]) | ''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]) | ||
There's no quibbling over the word "take" as it is a direct instruction from the Lord who is the giver of his body. | |||
In English, we "bring" and take" have a narrow distinction (in Spanish ''llevar'' and ''traer'' have clearer distinctions), as in, "Take that book and bring it over here." In that sentence, take means "go and get" and bring means "move it to here." We could just as easily say, "Bring that book over here." | |||
However, when we "take" something, we are extracting it from where it is to our person. This act is distinct from "to receive," which is to be given something to our person. Thus when the Lord commands, "Take it" he is commanding << to complete | |||
== | == Sacraments are Gifts == | ||