Blog:Recieving (not taking) Communion: Difference between revisions
→Receiving Communion
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The act is one of reception. When Christ instructs the disciple to "take" the bread and the wine, it is a command through which he gives and they take, but "take" only in the sense of reception. We can only "take" from God what God gives to us. Any larger sense of "take" becomes an act of putting oneself above God. | The act is one of reception. When Christ instructs the disciple to "take" the bread and the wine, it is a command through which he gives and they take, but "take" only in the sense of reception. We can only "take" from God what God gives to us. Any larger sense of "take" becomes an act of putting oneself above God. | ||
== Receiving Communion == | == Receiving Communion == | ||
[[File:Catholics_taking_communion_during_mass_at_St_Teresas_church_in_Summit_NJ.jpg|thumb|Wikipedia title for this image of the Rite of Communion: "Catholics taking communion during mass at St Teresas church in Summit NJ"]] | [[File:Catholics_taking_communion_during_mass_at_St_Teresas_church_in_Summit_NJ.jpg|thumb|Wikipedia's incorrect title for this image of the Rite of Communion: "Catholics taking communion during mass at St Teresas church in Summit NJ"]] | ||
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 handling of the host upon its reception to one hand then "taking" it by the other: | 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 handling of the host upon its reception 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. | ||
While the guide does not provide a theological reason for not taking the host from the | While the guide does not provide a theological reason for not taking the host from the Eucharistic 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. | 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. | ||