5/14/2023

Reception of Holy Communion
“If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.” - St. Maximilian Kolbe
Throughout the Easter Season coming off of the Triduum, Easter Sunday, and our First Communion festivities there’s been much talk of the Eucharist and the great gift that it is. “Blessed are those called to the Supper of the Lamb!” Because of the supreme nature of this Most-Holy Gift, there are things we do as receivers to prepare and show reverence. The greater the gift is, the greater responsibility we have to be good stewards of that gift.
When we go to prepare to receive the Body and Blood of Christ we begin by making sure our souls are in a state of grace. What this means is that we have no mortal sin on our soul, and, if we do, we confess it in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We also observe a fast for one hour (except for water and medicine) before receiving Communion. This allows our bodies to, in a way, make room for Jesus. It also helps increase our hunger/desire for the True Food. Then as we enter the Church we genuflect toward the Tabernacle, acknowledging Christ’s presence there in the consecrated hosts.
Throughout the prayer of the Mass, we are engaging in worship, penitence, and thanksgiving to further prepare our hearts. When the time comes for Holy Communion and we reach the minister in line, we reverently bow to Jesus in the Eucharist. The minister will declare, “The Body of Christ” to which we say a confident, “Amen”. If you desire to receive on the hand, you make a ‘throne’ for Jesus by taking your dominant hand and placing it underneath your non-dominant hand to create a level platform. Your ‘throne’ should be level with your heart and still so that the minister can place Christ onto your hand. Then, you will take the dominant hand from underneath and use it to receive Christ in your mouth. Communion should always be received immediately after the minister places Christ in your hand. If you are receiving on the tongue, it is a good idea to place your hands behind your back when you reach the minister to let them know that you will be receiving on the tongue. When it is time to receive, make sure to open your mouth wide and stick your tongue out in order to give the minister plenty of space to place Jesus there. Also, be sure to hold still until Jesus is secure and the minister’s had a chance to bring their hand back down. In receiving both ways, take your time! There’s no rush in Communion.
If you plan to receive the Precious Blood, please come to the middle two Communion lines at the start of Communion. After receiving the Eucharist from one of the two Eucharistic ministers, you can step to the side where the minister of the Precious Blood is. When receiving the Cup, you will bow to Jesus in the Precious Blood and the minister will say, “The Blood of Christ” to which you will reply a confident, “Amen”. After this you will take the Cup, holding it with two hands- one near the top and one near the bottom. When receiving the Precious Blood, you need only wet your lips to get a few drops. That is all it takes! Once finished, you will hand it back to the minister and make sure they have a hold of it before letting go. They will wipe the Cup with the purificator and turn it to a ‘fresh side’ for the next person. If you do not plan to receive the Precious Blood at Mass, please still bow/show a sign of reverence as you pass by. By doing this, we acknowledge Christ’s presence and show respect for it!
Lastly, when you return to your pew, we take that time to quiet our hearts and minds to recognize the great gift we have just received and become aware of Christ’s presence within us. This is a time of thanksgiving, praise, and intimacy with God.
Even if we may already know these things, it is always so good to review and remember all that we do to honor Christ and this incredible gift of His Body and Blood. I pray that we may all have a hunger for Communion and that we may never take this gift for granted! Lord, increase our faith!

~ Megan Johansen