Blog:Recieving (not taking) Communion: Difference between revisions

The notion of "distribution" of the Eucharist comes from the earliest Church. In the Epistle, ''Ad Smyrn'', by Saint Ignatius of Antioch, written around 100 A.D. In addressing the Rite of Communion, St. Ignatius explains,

Translations bounce between "administered" and "offered", but both mean the same thing: the Bishop or "one to whom he has entrusted it" distributes the proper Eucharist. The Church employs "offered<ref>See "2. The distribution of Holy Communion" in [https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/rc_con_ccdds_doc_20040423_redemptionis-sacramentum_en.html Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum (vatican.va)]</ref>", taken from a translation edited by Franz Xaver von Funk (have fun with it [https://archive.org/details/patresapostolic00piongoog here in Latin]; there's a 1913 translation into English, which I can't find). In another work, Funk describes the celebration of the Eucharist in the early church,<blockquote>We learn from Acts (ii. 42) that the early Christian meeting comprised the ' doctrine of the Apostles,' i.e. the expounding of Holy Writ, the breaking of bread, and prayers. According to the fuller account left by Justin,- the ceremony began with a lesson from Scripture, followed by a sermon by the bishop and prayers recited in common. The Faithful having exchanged the kiss of peace, bread and wine (the latter mixed with water) were offered to the bishop, who pronounced over them several prayers and gave thanks (ey^a/jtcrrta, cp. Matt. xxvi. 27), whereupon the elements were administered by the deacons, as the Body and Blood of Christ, to the Faithful present at the gathering, or carried to those who were absent.<ref>A manual of church history : Funk, F. X. von (Franz Xaver), 1840-1907: https://archive.org/details/manualofchurchhi01funk/mode/2up</ref></blockquote>Justin's account of the Eucharist, frm Ch. 46, interestingly uses both "partake" precisely as St. Paul used it to describe the overall participation in Holy Eucharist, and then "receive" for the specific act of Holy Communion:<blockquote>''And this food is called among us Eukaristia, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh. For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, "This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone.''<ref>Translation from [https://earlychristianwritings.com/text/justinmartyr-firstapology.html Saint Justin Martyr: First Apology (Roberts-Donaldson) (earlychristianwritings.com)] </ref></blockquote>To summarize: when we "partake" in Communion with the Lord, we "recieve" the Eucharist.