25th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2023 - Distribution of Holy Communion under both species

 Last week, I mentioned that we will be preaching about the distribution and reception of Holy Communion. We are in the midst of a Eucharistic Revival, and so, it is certainly fitting to reflect upon how and why we receive the eucharist. 

“On the night before he died, Christ gathered his Apostles in the upper room to celebrate the Last Supper and to give us the inestimable gift of his Body and Blood. "He did this in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the centuries until He should come again, and so to entrust to His beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of His death and resurrection. . . ." Thus, in the Eucharistic Celebration of the Mass we are joined with Christ on the altar of the cross and at the table of the upper room in "the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and [in] the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord's body and blood."

The eyes of faith enable Christians to recognize that in the Eucharist we celebrate and receive “Christ Himself, our Passover and living bread." The Eucharist is the "Sacrament of Sacraments." Through it "the work of our redemption is accomplished." He who is the "living bread that came down from heaven" (Jn 6:51) assures us, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink" (Jn 6:54-55).

While the heart of the celebration of the Eucharist is the Eucharistic Prayer, in which bread and wine are truly transformed into the Body and Blood of our Savior who offers himself as a sacrifice for our redemption to the Father, the consummation of the Mass is found in Holy Communion, whereby the people purchased for the Father by his beloved Son, eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ…In the great sacrament of the altar, communicants are joined to Christ Jesus and to one another.

It is God’s Holy Will that this sacrament be received as the soul's spiritual food to sustain and build up those who receive it, as he said, "He who eats of me, he also shall live because of me" (Jn 6:57). This sacrament is also to be a remedy to free us from our daily defects and to keep us from mortal sin. Moreover, the Eucharist is the promise and pledge of our future glory and our everlasting happiness—again, “he who eats my flesh will live forever.”

Church historians tell us that from the first days of the Church's celebration of the Eucharist, Holy Communion consisted of the reception of both the bread and wine that had been placed on an altar and transformed into the Lord’s Body and Blood. Both were received by members of the faithful in fulfillment of the Lord's command to "take and eat . . . take and drink." The distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful under both kinds was thus the norm for more than 1000 years. 

The practice of Holy Communion under both kinds at Mass continued until the late eleventh century, when the custom of distributing the Eucharist to the faithful under the form of bread alone began to grow. By the twelfth century theologians such as Peter Cantor speak of Communion under one kind as a "custom" of the Church. This practice spread until the Council of Constance in 1415 decreed that Holy Communion under the form of bread alone would be distributed to the faithful.

In 1963, the Pope, of course having the authority to do so, authorized the distribution of both species to the faithful at the discretion of the diocesan bishops. And some of our elders here might remember when we here in Cleveland began to distribute Holy Communion under both species. And up until the COVID lockdown in 2020 we were distributing both the consecrated host and precious blood here at St. Ignatius of Antioch. 

Now three years later, at the recommendation of several parishioners and the support of parish council, we will be returning to distributing both species at weekend masses here at St. Ignatius. 

So, as normal, we will form two lines down the aisle for the Communion Procession. And those who are disposed to receive Holy Communion may receive in the prescribed way.

To receive the host, you may receive on the tongue, as is the ancient custom, or receive in the hands. As a reminder, you must have both hands completely free, so you cannot be carrying a phone, a child, a purse, cane or handkerchief. When receiving in the hand, your dominant hand goes under your other hand, so that the host can be placed carefully in the palm—so you are not to form a cup, but a throne. Then your dominant hand places the host in your mouth carefully, taking care that no part or particle of the host is dropped or lost. 

When receiving the cup, after responding “Amen” to the minister, you are to take the cup with two hands, take a sip, and return it to the minster, who will wipe the cup with a clean portion of the purificator. 

If you are not receiving from the cup out of health concerns or for whatever reason, you should still make a small sign of reverence to acknowledge your belief, that the cup truly contains Christ. And be assured that to receive the host is still to receive both the body and blood of Christ, as has been clearly taught through the centuries.  

Recall, too, that to receive holy communion, one must be in a state of grace, having confessed one’s serious sins in the sacrament of confession. To do so otherwise is sacrilege. 

As St. Paul instructs the Christians at Corinth, “Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body eat and drink judgment against themselves. For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” In other words, many Christians are spiritually weak or spiritually dead because they have failed to confess mortal sins before receiving holy communion. 

I’d like to thank all of our Eucharistic Ministers stepping up to fulfill this service to the parish. We could certainly use a few more Eucharistic Ministers to ensure we have enough at each mass with a few substitutes. So please let me know if you'd be willing to serve in this liturgical ministry.

The Eucharist is strength for those who journey in hope through this life and who desire to dwell with God in the life to come. May our worship and reception of the Body and Blood of the Lord help us to experience the salvation he won for us, and the peace of God’s kingdom, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

3rd Sunday of Easter 2021 - Love of God perfected in us

 At 10am this morning(yesterday), His Excellency Bishop Malesic ordained 5 men to the transitional diaconate. They are called transitional deacons, as their ordination to the Sacred Order of Deacon is a transitional step on their way to priestly orders. This is in contrast to the permanent deacons, who will remain in the Order of Deacons permanently. The new transitional deacons will serve in parishes over the summer and throughout the next year as they complete their seminary formation. They are certainly in our prayers.

I’ve mentioned it before, but my favorite moment in the ceremony for diaconate ordination, is when the deacon kneels in front of the Bishop who hands the newly ordained the Book of the Gospels. The bishop then charges him: “receive the word of God whose herald you have become: believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.” Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.

What is the significance of this ritual? The Church needs the ordained to be men of Truth, don’t we. Men who know the Scriptures, know the Gospel, and who teach Truth and live the Truth. We want priests who have encountered Jesus in prayer and will help others meet him and live his teachings. 

Right belief is required for right teaching. Right teaching is required for right practice. Without this harmony of right belief, teaching, and practice in our shepherds, the sheep become scattered. So many divisions in the Church come from church leaders failing in their duties to believe rightly, teach rightly, and live rightly. Rather we need good shepherds whose minds and hearts are in union with the Good Shepherd who lays down his life for his flock.

I meet a lot of Catholics these days who simply don’t know their faith. Some of my young couples that I work with in marriage preparation, they cannot name the seven sacraments, some of them don’t know there ARE seven sacraments, nor do they know what sacraments are. They can’t name the 10 commandments or more than one or two books of the bible. I recently asked a young Catholic if she knew what is meant by “the state of grace”, and she said, “oh, like the Taylor Swift song”. I kind of laughed and cried at the same time.

By the way, googling the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s hit single, I wouldn’t recommend listening to it, one does not find an explanation of the necessary condition of soul at death to attain heaven, the soul’s possession of the gift of sanctifying grace which is lost through mortal sin, without which the soul upon death will be severed from the life of God forever.

In the first reading today, St. Peter guided by the Holy Spirit goes into the streets of Jerusalem and begins to preach. “The author of life you put to death but God raised him from the dead”. Peter, once slow to believe, who even denied knowing his master as he carried his cross, now filled with conviction, speaks the Truth.

And he does so passionately, but patiently, he says, he put the author of life to death, and I know, that you acted out of ignorance, just as your leaders did” but now it’s time to believe. He is patient with those who acted out of ignorance. But he’s also very clear. Now it’s time to repent, and convert. 

I remember within my first week or two of seminary. And I remember sitting in my room with the catechism. And my mind was being blown. I’d never encountered the Truth so clearly presented. I had a pretty lousy catechetical education as a young kid. My parents were not at all concerned about the quality of the catechesis I was receiving in my parish PSR program. They did not at all understand that they were tasked to be the primary educators of faith. 

And in seminary I quickly came to discover how inadequate my catholic education had been. So many of the other seminarians, and my seminary professors, knew the faith, very well. And I remember a very pivotal moment, when I was sitting there with my catechism, and I prayed, Lord, if I believe any errors, help me to be free of them. If at any point, I think I know better than the Church, humble me, correct me. Replace my ignorance with your truth.”

Theological knowledge is important. Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. We should always be open to doctrinal correction. If I believe or teach any error, may I be corrected. But the third part of that diaconal charge is also essential. Live what you preach. Live the truth of the Gospel.

“Those who say, “I know him,” but do not keep his commandments are liars, and the truth is not in them,” writes saint John in our second reading. It is not enough to know about God. Head knowledge, theological knowledge isn’t the end-all-be-all measure of the Christian life. The ability to give a theological treatise on grace will not gain us entry into heaven. If we claim to know God and claim to be in right relationship with him but are not keeping his commandments, then we are deceiving ourselves. 

Now of course, sometimes we fall into sin out of weakness. Those falls are easy to confess and repent of. John, rather, is very concerned with the Christians who are allowing sin to take root in their lives and are failing to repent of them.  If you are justifying serious sin, attitudes and activities that holy mother church defines as sin, allowing them to take root, you are deceiving yourself. “Repent, and be converted,” says Peter in our first reading, “that your sins may be wiped away.”

For when we do, and this is good news, they are. God grants mercy and gives us strength to change. Change is scary, but the Lord is with us. He walks with us showing us a new way of living. The one who hears God’s word, who puts that word into practice in his daily life, “the love of God becomes perfected him” writes John. Our love for God increase, and the presence of God’s love in our souls becomes perfected. When we keep his word—through right belief and right practice—God’s love reaches its intended goal, the perfection of our souls. 

The one who goes to confession every two weeks, because he acknowledges the sins of his life, and confesses them because he loves God and wants to grow in perfection, is much closer to the kingdom, than the one who refuses to acknowledge his sins or has justified them and is allowing them to take root.

In the Gospel we see this progression of perfection on display: in the beginning of the story, the disciples are filled with fear, fear stemming from ignorance.  Then as they spend time with the Lord, who teaches them, their ignorance is replaced with understanding. They spend more time with him in conversation. They eat with him. They study the scriptures with him. Their fear is transformed into joy, and the Lord proclaims them and charges them at his witnesses.

Here is a beautiful program of Christian growth for all of us. We study our faith and grow in our conviction that Christ is Risen. We immerse ourselves in the scriptures, allowing God to open our minds to his truth through them. We come to Mass to eat with Him, to be bolstered in our love for Him as we share the Eucharistic meal with Him. And then we are sent out as witnesses—our faith, our relationship with Jesus—having a real, observable difference in our day-to-day lives: our speech, our activities, our relationships, our leisure activities.

Through repentance, conversion, and the embrace of our Catholic faith, may we be free from error and fear; may the love of God be perfected in us, that we may be his true witnesses for the glory of God and salvation of souls.