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| Communion rails: it's time our churches put them back! |
Is it by hand? Or straight to the tongue?
While we must emphasize that it is NOT a sin to receive communion by hand, when you talk about the best way to receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, for obvious reasons, you do not want to desecrate the host. Just before receiving communion, we want you to be conscious: where have your hands been since you last washed them?
That's the thing with receiving communion by hand: people have no idea how dirty their hands are at any given time. A while ago at mass I saw this girl playing with her hair constantly during the mass, and she received communion through the hand. Now that's just hair. From the moment you last washed your hands, going to the mass, what are the things you touched that could be dirtier than you thought?
Let's see. If you left home, you're sure to open the door or the gate. Everybody touches door knobs, and so it's a source of dirt. Then you commuted to the church and held on to the railings of the jeepney. Another dirty place. Riding the jeep, you had to bring out coins. Dirty. In the mass, you bring out money again, this time for the offertory.
And then you receive communion by hand. Is this really the best way to receive the Lord?
We're not even talking about small particles sticking to sweaty palms, or under the nails. Worse, the desecration of the host happens when people are allowed to receive communion by hand. We know of people who do not receive communion, instead feeding the consecrated host to their chickens. These folks believe that doing so strengthens their chickens for the inevitable cock fight.
So I urge all Catholics - let us do away with this practice of communion by hand. As I said, apart from a clean heart, communion by tongue is the best - and actually preferred form - of receiving communion.
More on this from Cardinal Arinze.
The Holy Communion we receive is the REAL Body and Blood of our Lord JESUS CHRIST.
IT IS NOT A MERE SYMBOL. IT IS NOT A MERE IDEA.
The Lord himself gave his body and blood for us. This is the personal relationship we have with the Lord that born-again people and other denominations only speak about. Therefore, be happy and proud that you are a Catholic who receives God himself through Holy Communion.
The video below speaks about a scientist who studied the wine that became flesh and blood of Christ during a mass. I ask all Catholics to watch so that they have an idea of what they are receiving every Sunday at mass.
Would you still dare receive our Lord with your hands, after watching what you have just watched?
I don't know you but I am a catholic. I have a prayer request please.
ReplyDeleteOn some forums I visit, there is a catholic girl asking for help. She cannot feel the presence of God. What she needs is *prayer*.
I'm not assuming anything about you. I know you are Catholic and from the Philippines. This, I am asking you because she is from the same country.
Because of her trust issues I dare not contact her directly. I hope you can help her with your prayers (and ask the church you are active in to pray for her as well please!) Her name is Pinayheart.
you can find her posts on the website called Reddit.
Thank you and God bless you.