I don’t know what is in the heart of anyone who receives Holy Communion. The most pious person, kneeling reverently and solemnly to receive Holy Communion could be the most corrupt person ever to have lived.
The same is true for a person who on the run, receives Holy Communion in the hand and is laughing as she departs and prior to placing the Sacred Host in her mouth. She might be the most faithful, saintly Catholic ever to have walked the face of the earth.
But, but, but…
Isn’t the law of prayer, the law of belief?
A corrupt, non believing person, who nonetheless receives Holy Communion in a pious, reverent, solemn way, while kneeling, at least is doing something good—modeling for others the outward reverence due Christ the King—even if the person receiving Christ the King is a whited sepulcher!
Casual, irreverent ways of receiving Holy Communion undermines the faith of others who see it and wonder, is Christ the King being received or not, even if the one receiving is the holiest person in the Church receiving Christ the King—the image or outward manner in which Christ the King is received tears down belief in the real presence of others who witness it and may be wondering if Christ the King is truly present in Holy Communnion.
Without making any judgements on this person, what does it say about the liturgical renewal of the manner in which Holy Communion is distributed and has been distributed going on more than 50 years now?
What does it say about reverence? And might this be a poster for the young who want a return to traditional practices during Mass, like ad orientem and kneeling for Holy Communion and only priests, deacons and officially installed acolytes distributing Holy Communion.
- Lex Orandi: The law of prayer or worship (the way we pray, sing, and act in liturgy).
- Lex Credendi: The law of belief (the core doctrines and faith of the church).
6 comments:
You should not use a picture of someone like this to score liturgical points, she is a woman of faith that does not deserve to be singled out and condemned like this.
Now, what's wrong with this picture?....Duh!
I do not agree with you using a picture of a Catholic to score liturgical points. She deserves to be treated with respect by you, a priest. You have no idea who she is, she should not be used in this manner.
Call me cynical but I believe the whole point of Communion in hand and while standing was to minimize the belief in the Real Presence, moving the focus to just the sharing a meal among believers. This same is true for Mass versus populum. None of this was demanded by the laity; it was all forced by a liturgical establishment with an agenda.
That photo appeared in the National Catholic Reporter’s on-line edition this morning, not about the casual reception of Holy Communion, but rather that this parish in San Francisco has been assessed $5million to pay for a diocesan sex abuse settlement of over $300 million. The parish sent that photo to the NCR to use, which is very peculiar for a story on such a serious subject. At any rate, I have adjusted the photo to mask the person’s appearance.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own
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