COMMUNION ON THE TONGUE OR IN THE HAND

 

COMMUNION ON THE TONGUE OR IN THE HAND 

Some of my friends have sent me articles that argue that the only proper way to receive the Eucharist at Mass is on the tongue. I have read all these articles as well as others I have found on the internet. A very disturbing reality struck me in reading these arguments. I will get to this in a bit. 

First, let us look at some history. One of the earliest descriptions of the Mass was in the First Apology of St. Justin, Martyr in 150 AD. In it he writes “On the conclusion of our prayer, bread and wine and water are brought forward. The president offers prayers and give thanks to the best of his ability, and the people give assent by saying, ‘Amen.’ The Eucharist is distributed, everyone present communicates, and the deacons take it to those who are absent.” At this time Communion is received in the hand. In the fourth century, St. Cyril of Jerusalem, in addressing catechumens who are preparing to receive the sacraments says: “In approaching therefore, come not with your wrists extended, or your fingers spread; but make your left hand a throne for the right, as for that which is to receive a King. And having hollowed your palm, receive the body of Christ, saying over it, “Amen.” So then, after having carefully hallowed your eyes by the touch of the holy body, partake of it; giving heed lest you lose any portion thereof.” So, up until at least this point , Communion in the hand was the norm. 

A couple of centuries after Cyril, under Pope Gregory the Great, the practice of Communion on the tongue became the norm. This was followed by a distancing of the Mass, and the Eucharist, from the people. Gradually, the priest move farther away from the people and the people became mere spectators at the Mass. The language of the Mass remained Latin, even though few spoke Latin anymore. The priest began to face away from the people. Churches began to be constructed with a railing separating the sanctuary from the people. The faithful received the Eucharist less and less frequently until in the thirteenth century the Fourth Lateran Council decreed that the faithful must receive the Eucharist at least once a year, during the Easter Season.  The Second Vatican Council, in an effort to bring the people back into involvement in the Mass began a renewal of the Mass that resulted in the language of the Mass being in the vernacular again, the priest facing the people, and the people becoming more participants in the Liturgy. 

Today, the norms and guidelines for celebrating Mass are contained in the ROMA MISSAL of 2010, with its companion, THE GENERAL INSTRUCTION OF THE ROMAN MISSAL, the GIRM. These books contain the rules and regulations, and the rubrics, for celebrating the Mass today. We should note that however the Church arrives at its current teaching is less important than what it teaches. Often Church Teaching goes through various changes and adaptations before become the set teaching. The Missal and the GIRM ARE the current teaching of the Church for celebrating the Mass. After laying out the structure of the Mass and those parts that are to be observed throughout the world, the GIRM then allows each Conference of Bishops to make adaptations. “It is for the Conference of Bishops to formulate the adaptations indicated in this General Instruction and in the Order of Mass and, once their decisions have been made and accorded the recognition of the Apostolic See, to introduce them into the Missal itself. They are such as these: The gestures and bodily posture of the faithful, - the gestures of veneration toward the altar and the Book of the Gospels, - the form of the gesture of peace, - the manner of receiving Holy Communion, (#390 GIRM) 

In the Unite States Conference of Bishops, this is the teaching on receiving the Eucharist: “Holy Communion under the form of bread is offered to the communicant with the words,’The Body of Christ.’ The communicant may choose whether to receive the Body of Christ in the hand or on the tongue. When receiving in the hand, the communicant should be guided by the words of St. Cyril of Jerusalem: ‘When you approach…’” Thus, the current teaching of the Church, in the United States, is that you may receive Communion in the hand or on the tongue. No preference is mad for either rubric. One is not deemed more devout than the other. 

The disturbing aspect of this ongoing debate is the way it is being discussed by those who believe that receiving Communion on the tongue is the only legitimate rubric. This simply is not true. There even have been some who have proposed that if one cannot receive on the tongue, one should not receive at all. This is ludicrous. In this case, the rubric has become more important than the Eucharist itself. Distain the Eucharist if you cannot employ your favored rubric? Further, some have gone so far as to proclaim that receiving in the hand is from Satan himself, or an evil invention by rebellious bishops. The adaptation by the USCCB for Communion under both kinds, including receive the Body of Christ in the hand, has been approved by the Holy See. It is legitimate Church teaching. The real problem I have with the debate going on is that it is causing a division among Catholics. The very sacrament that is meant to bring us together as the Body of Christ, the Eucharist, is being used to divide us. This cannot be from the Holy Spirit. We each have our own choice whether to receive the Body of Christ in the hand or on the tongue. One is not better that the other, according to Church teaching here in the United States. A teaching approved by Rome. Let us welcome the fact that our consciences may lead us to different rubrics but recognize that we are all receiving the same Body and Blood of Christ and put aside attitudes that divide us because we think we are being more devout the one way or more up to date the other.