The Holy Eucharist is the center of the Holy Mass. Our Lord Jesus Christ chose the bread and wine to be his Body and Blood for us to take and unite with Him. For many centuries, the Holy Communion is the most important sacrament for the Catholics, including the apostles and the saints. But today, there are two ways on taking the Holy Communion, the “Communion on the tongue while kneeling” and the “communion in the hand while standing”. But which of these two are the proper and right way?
Why we used the tongue on taking the Eucharist? Because only the consecrated hands of the Priest can hold the Sacred Host and this is an apostolic tradition. Our hands are used on many sins, but the priest who are also sinners like us are special because their hands were consecrated to the Lord. That’s why they are the only people who allowed to touch the Holy Eucharist. Saints in the previous generation teach us about this.
“The Sacred Vessels are not to be handled by others than those consecrated to the Lord.”
– Pope Saint Sixtus I
“Out of reverence towards this Sacrament [the Holy Eucharist], nothing touches it, but what is consecrated; hence the corporal and the chalice are consecrated, and likewise the priest’s hands, for touching this Sacrament.”
– Saint Thomas Aquinas
(Summa Theologica, Part III, Q. 82, Art. 3, Rep. Obj. 8.)
When we used our tongue to take the Host, we must extend it so the priest can put properly in our tongue. And make sure that your eyes must focus on the Holy Eucharist so you can receive it well and to avoid dropping it to the ground.
Why do we kneel when we take the holy communion? Because the bread before us is the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ. A bread that was consecrated to become His Body. And our Lord Jesus is our King, and one of the three persons of the Holy Trinity, our God. So, we must kneel before it, to give respect and adoration.
“Kneel down and render the tribute of your presence and devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Confide all your needs to him, along with those of others.”
– Saint Padre Pio
“When you kneel before an altar, do it in such a way that others may be able to recognize that you know before whom you kneel.”
– Saint Maximilian Kolbe
Why only the Priest should give communion to the people? As I said earlier, the Priest’s hands are Consecrated to the Lord. Nuns, altar servers and lay people are not allowed to give communion because their hands are not consecrated. Even if the priest said that they gave power to these people, that is invalid. Let us remember Saint Tarcisius, an altar server who was sent to bring the Holy Eucharist to the prison where some priest, bishops and faithful are, the Holy Eucharist was wrapped in a Linen Cloth and put it inside a small case, and he did not dare touch the Holy Eucharist by his own skin, until his death. So, people whose hands are not consecrated to the Lord, are not authorized to touch the Holy Eucharist and give communion.
“The fact that only the priest gives Holy Communion with his consecrated hands is an Apostolic Tradition.”
– The Council of Trent (1545-1565)
“Do not put the Eucharist in the hands of any layman or laywoman but only in their mouths.”
– The Council of Rouen (650)
