Going up for a blessing at Communion time - again?
It used to annoy me - mainly because laity cannot bless in the same way a priest or deacon does - even when you wave the host around as if blessing someone - you can't - and should not do that. A lay person is not authorized to bless with the Blessed Sacrament. Touching people's heads - or laying on hands isn't a good idea for food handlers, so why do EM'sHC do it? It used to bother me - when I let it bother me - then I got over it, and now I generally don't care - but the practice is dumb, nonetheless. At the end of Mass we all are blessed at the final blessing - and one doesn't even need to cross arms over the chest to receive it. That said... Communion time is not Billy-Graham-come-forward-at-the-Crusade time. Can someone please teach this stuff?
More to the point, I read today how a former alcoholic - recovering alcoholic, abstains from drinking from the cup after the reception of the host, and instead goes to the the cup, arms crossed over the breast, bows, and receives a blessing. Personal piety aside, that is setting another bad example.
Why? First of all, it is not necessary to receive under both species. Secondly, as every Catholic should know, when we receive either the sacred host, or the precious blood, be it only the smallest fragment of the body, or the slightest drop of the precious blood, we receive the entire body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ. It is really that simple.
Don't be making up new rituals.
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Bonus chat: I also noted the American flag was placed front and forward this weekend. Though we are coming up on the 4th of July, and concern for religious freedom aside, I'm wondering if the Church isn't getting too political?
Oh! Oh! And a big thank you to Michael Voris for wrecking "Amazing Grace" for me - a song I used to be able to tolerate until his spiel about how bad it is. His tirade comes to mind everytime they use the song at Mass: Nice way to foster negative feelings at the beginning of Mass, Mike. Yes, I blame you for that.
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Teresa of Jesus
More to the point,...
ReplyDeleteI read the same thing. I was like, huh, what?
Communion is offered both species where we assist at Mass - I don't receive the Sacred Blood, but do bow out of reverence for our Lord as I pass by. I considered waving, but that would be plain ol' wrong.
What?
Oh - and today's visiting priest thought it helpful to homilize on the readings prior to them being read. C'mon Father, don't spoil the readings for us! Save it for the real homily post-Gospel!
Why do some priests do that? I do not know. I wonder if he would do the same thing if he celebrated Mass in the extraordinary form, but do it in Latin?
I do just a little wave and slap my hand down with the other hand. It schizoid behavior.
ReplyDeleteAnyway - our homilist evidently transcribed key points for his homily from the Lectio Divina piece of today's Magnificat - but he neglected to connect them together into something intelligible.
Reminds me of the day the former secretary of my former parish announced that she much prefers receiving communion under both species because she, "wants all of Jesus, not just a part." Huh??
ReplyDeleteThat right there is another reason to stop administering under both species.
DeleteI agree...
DeleteWe have a couple of choir members like that, who go downstairs to receive both species because only an extraordinary minister with the host comes up to the loft. "I don't feel like I'm receiving full communion otherwise."
DeleteI wonder what they'll say when they find out that our pastor intends to start distributing under only one species.
Uh, what's wrong with "Amazing Grace?"
ReplyDeleteThey had both at the Last Supper, and Amazing Grace is a wonderful hymn about the love of God how can that be bad? Or has the gentleman got tiered of endless bad bagpipers ,a cliche of the recent past,rather than the words of the hymn?
ReplyDeleteIt was a great favorite of my late Mother we sang it at her funeral, Grace was her name by the way and I thank God for a Christian Mother who brought me up to go to Church and believe in God.
Opps - sorry - I like Amazing Grace too - but it's not done too well at my parish - I should have clarified - I can't recall just now what Voris' complaint was - but I experience a negative reaction recalling he said it wasn't Catholic or something, every time I hear it. I think he didn't like the wretch part, if I'm not mistaken. I am a wretch - so I identify with it.
ReplyDeleteI mention it because things like that stick in your mind sometimes - and I'm at fault for writing about it now.
My apologies.
Eh, the wretch complaint is overwrought considering we're all sinners. He didn't like the "saved the moment I first believed" part either. Let's just skip that verse, and I say go for it! It is a pretty song. Peace be with your souls.
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't dig up the past.
DeleteYou have not LIVED until you've sung "Amazing Grace" to the tune of "House of the Rising Sun"! It's soooo moving. And cutting-edge. And kewl.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the GIRM states that receiving under both species is a "clearer sign" of what is taking place, I don't understand why some people think they receive only part of Christ if they communicate in one form. I have two friends who are celiacs and thus communicate only from the chalice; neither appears to feel deprived.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I do like "Amazing grace". Mr Voris, the self-appointed guardian of all things Catholic, should perhaps remember that the hymn was written by a slave trader who (we don't know how) had an encounter with Christ which brought him to believe. Sounds a bit like what happened to Paul on the road to Damascus. Oh dear, but Paul wasn't a Catholic either :)
ReplyDeleteTERRY SAID........'That said... Communion time is not Billy-Graham-come-forward-at-the-Crusade time. Can someone please teach this stuff?....
ReplyDeleteLOL Oh Terry HOW TRUE this is!! My peace used to be completely obliterated with the whole over use of EXTRAORDINARY ministers of the Eucharist and the "waving of hosts" over those coming for a "Blessing" from people who aren't authorised to "Bless". I used to be so disgusted at the lack of piety, decorum and reverence and now I just BURY MY FACE IN MY HANDS while i'm kneeling (I don't do the everyone stand until the last person has received communion thing) and I walk with my eyes cast down as I go forward so as not to have to be distracted by it all. I simply pray before I go forward that 1) Our Lady exchange my sinful heart for her Immaculate Heart that Jesus have a worthy place to rest 2) That my Holy Guardian Angel and the Angel of everyone present give each of us light to receive Jesus with as much reverence, piety, devotion and recollection as possible.
St. John Chrysostom said the road to hell was paved with bishop's skulls.
ReplyDelete@servusmariaen: I presume you mean that we should kneel to receive Communion. Fine, but remember that our Eastern Rite Catholic and Orthodox brethren stand to communicate. Somehow I think they would be insulted to be compared to a Billy Graham crusade. In our desire to promote reverence for the Sacrament it would be wise for us to remember that we Romans aren't the only Catholics around :)
ReplyDeleteParepidemos, I think you would agree that an Eastern Orthodox or Catholic would NEVER take the Holy of Holies into their hands while standing. I don't think Terry was referring to their standing to receive as being likened to a Billy Graham crusade.
ReplyDeleteparepidemos,
ReplyDeleteSt Paul WAS indeed Catholic, as were all teh apostles --they were the first bishops of the Church, and St Peter was the first pope. I know that catechism is really poor for these past 50 years, but this was once something every Catholic schoolchild knew.
Secondly, we are Catholics, not "romans" not even "roman catholic". "Roman" and "Roman Catholic" were derogatory terms that anti-Catholic protestants devised in the early pioneer days of our country. If you must be more exact,then it's best to say we are Latin Rite Catholic,if you must.
Thirdly, Terry was not referring to people standing to receive Holy Communion as being Billy Graham-esque, but rather the totally non-GIRM practice that has arisen in most parishes where EVERYONE goes up to the altar in the Communion line, even those who are not receiving. The proper practice(which is not being properly taught these days) is for people to remain in the pews if they do not receive H.C.
I hope it is not too presumptuous of me to answer these things--which may in fact be too late for anyone to see, anyway!! I saw that no one else corrected these things here, so I took the liberty to do so myself.
There are many with gluten intolerance who without the precious blood being available would never be able to receive Jesus.
ReplyDelete