This appendix should be read in conjunction with "This is My Body" Lessons 13-15.
It is through the liturgy that the Church is present at and participates in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Through the liturgy Christ, our redeemer and high priest, continues the work of our redemption in, with, and through his Church."[1]
The saving work of Christ is offered to all cultures and transcends all cultures. It is Catholic, universal. “It is fitting that liturgical celebration tends to express itself in the culture of the people where the Church finds herself, though without being submissive to it. Moreover, the liturgy itself generates cultures and shapes them.”[2]
The liturgical celebration is expressed through a variety of Rites. All of these Rites are in union with the Holy See and thus are a part of a rich Catholic tradition.
There are three major groupings of Rites in the Catholic Church, the Roman Rite, the Antiochian Rite (Syria) and the Alexandrian Rite (Egypt). Later the Byzantine Rite derived as a major Rite from the Antiochian Rite, under the influence of St. Basil and St. John Chrysostom. From these four parent Rites, two-dozen liturgical Rites (Western and Eastern) have developed which are in union with the Holy See.[3]
The mystery of Christ is so unfathomably rich that it cannot be exhausted by its expression in any single liturgical tradition. The history of the blossoming and development of these rites witnesses to a remarkable complementarity. When the Churches lived their respective liturgical traditions in the communion of the faith and the sacraments of the faith, they enriched one another and grew in fidelity to Tradition and to the common mission of the whole Church.[4]
We will take a brief historical look at the practices within the Roman Rite of standing or kneeling to receive communion as well as reception of communion on the tongue or in the hand. Regarding the liturgy and its practices, Saint John Paul II stresses an uninterrupted tradition and continuity.
John Paul II, in his last Encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, “The Church comes from the Eucharist”, wrote in n. 61: “By giving the Eucharist the prominence it deserves, and by being careful not to diminish any of its dimensions or demands, we show that we are truly conscious of the greatness of this gift. We are urged to do so by an uninterrupted tradition, which from the first centuries on has found the Christian community ever vigilant in guarding this “treasure.” Inspired by love, the Church is anxious to hand on to future generations of Christians, without loss, her faith and teaching with regard to the mystery of the Eucharist. There can be no danger of excess in our care for this mystery, for “in this sacrament is recapitulated the whole mystery of our salvation.”[5]
In analyzing any practice within a certain Rite, a few questions should be asked. When was the practice introduced? What was the duration of the practice in tradition? What is the meaning and/or purpose of the practice?
Standing or kneeling while receiving communion is permissible because both have been practiced in tradition of the Roman Rite. In the same way, reception of the Eucharist on either the tongue or in the hand is permissible because both have been practiced in our 2000 year history. New practices, however, may not be introduced in the Church’s liturgy, just as new teachings may not be introduced in her doctrine. We can strive for a better understanding of why we do what we do and how the practices of the Roman Rite affect our disposition in receiving the Eucharist.
Third Century – Reception in the hand was the norm
In the third century we hear a voice enumerating in one breath the several privileges of the people: to listen to the Eucharistic prayer, to join in answering Amen, to stand at the table and stretch out their hands for the reception of the sacred food. This Amen is the people's signature.[6]
Around the year A.D. 390, Cyril of Jerusalem indicated that the early Church practiced Communion in the hand when he instructed his audience: “Approaching, therefore, come not with thy wrists extended, or thy fingers open; but make thy left hand as if a throne for thy right, which is on the eve of receiving the King. And having hallowed thy palm, receive the body of Christ, saying after it, Amen. Then after thou hast with carefulness hallowed thine eyes by the touch of the holy body, partake thereof; giving heed lest thou lose any of it; for what thou losest is a loss to thee as it were from one of thine own members. For tell me, if anyone gave thee gold dust, wouldst thou not with all precaution keep it fast, being on they guard against losing any of it, and suffering loss?” (Catechetical Lectures 23:22).[7]
“The most ancient practice of distributing Holy Communion was, with all probability, to give Communion to the faithful in the palm of the hand. The history of the liturgy, however, makes clear that rather early on a process took place to change this practice…From the time of the Fathers of the Church, a tendency was born and consolidated whereby distribution of Holy Communion in the hand became more and more restricted in favor of distributing Holy Communion on the tongue.”[8]
Ninth Century – Reception of the Eucharist on the tongue became the norm
In giving the Eucharist into the hands the danger arose that the Eucharist was sometimes misused. Spanish synods found it necessary to decree that whoever receives the Eucharist and does not eat it should be considered as sacrilegious. Even stronger than this worry about possible misuse was the influence of the growing respect for the Eucharist. Both together led to the practice of placing the Sacred Host in the mouth. Even though there may be some isolated instances of this practice in earlier times, the method dates substantially from the ninth century.[9]
Fourteenth Century – Reception of the Eucharist while kneeling became the norm
In the rite of the Roman Curia, on the other hand, it [kneeling to receive communion] had become so firmly rooted as early as the fourteenth century that, as today, outside of the celebrant, only the bishop stood when receiving Communion at his consecration Mass.[10]
Twentieth Century - General Instruction of the Roman Missal [GIRM]
Communion in the hand was granted to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1977. This adaption is noted in the 1975 GIRM.
On June 17, 1977, the Congregation of Sacraments and Divine Worship approved the request of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops to permit the optional practice of Communion in the hand.[11]
Standing while receiving communion is not specifically mentioned but if it is going to be done some sign of reverence is to be made. “As for the people, when they receive the Eucharist standing, they are able to make some sign of reverence.”[12]
The GIRM does not forbid the practices of receiving on the tongue while kneeling. It does however allow the option of receiving on the tongue or hand. It also allows communicates to either kneel or stand while receiving.
2008 - Pope Benedict XVI
Beginning with the Solemnity of Corpus Christi in the year 2008, Pope Benedict XVI began to distribute to the faithful the Body of the Lord, by placing it directly on the tongue of the faithful, as they remain kneeling. This action by the Holy Father was not a new action, but rather it showed continuity with a traditional practice.
2015 – Pope Francis
One of the legacies of Pope Benedict XVI is liturgical reform as set forth by the Second Vatican Council. Pope Benedict XVI stressed continuity with tradition not a rupture from it. Pope Francis wishes to continue the good work that Pope Benedict XVI began. Cardinal Sarah, the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship said:
When the Holy Father, Pope Francis, asked me to accept the ministry of Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, I asked: “Your Holiness, how do you want me to exercise this ministry? What do you want me to do as Prefect of this Congregation?” The Holy Father's reply was clear. “I want you to continue to implement the liturgical reform of the Second Vatican Council,” he said, “and I want you to continue the good work in the liturgy begun by Pope Benedict XVI.”[13]