A Communion Meal or The True Body of Christ?

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I wanted to touch on something that’s been bothering me for awhile, perhaps even agitating me. That’s how some of us think and act towards The Holy Eucharist. I was born in the 1980’s, so the negative effects of the Second Vatican Council had been in full swing for a few decades already, and my Catholic formation was not the best. I’m certainly not taking my sinful behaviors out of the equation, however, let’s be honest and point out that our Catholic Formation wasn’t and hasn’t been the same as those properly Catechized Pre-Vatican II.

Whether I was serving Mass as on Altar Boy or not, the words and actions of the Priest from the Consecration of the Holy Eucharist and procession of people receiving Holy Communion in the hand in such a careless, non pious, robotic manner really started to have a profound impact on how I viewed this Obligation that I had to do every single week. As I grew up and recognized that the Mass of All Ages wasn't this "musuemesque" event that my grandparents talked about from the past, was and is the brightest thing the world has, led to some extreme internal conflict in how the Holy Eucharist ought to be reflected upon.

As I started going back and forth from a Novus Ordo parish to a TLM parish I tried to have a “unite the clans” (as the great Michael Matt would say) approach of how Holy Communion should be received. Over the years, I've come to the conclusion that Our Lord should be received  in a state of grace, on the tongue, and preferably kneeling. The discussion on How to Receive Holy Communion has been visited and revisited for centuries now. There’s been traditional and theological explanations from both camps that claim one way or the other is best, or it’s up to the Communicant to decide, making it somewhat confusing for those who wish to do the right, pious thing.

That’s where frankly speaking, the shepherds of the Church have dropped the ball. I’m far from a Theologian, Priest, etc., but if someone like me knows that we all should have and be the most reverent before, during, and after Holy Communion then there’s something wrong. Because it’s not about what we “want.” It should be about what “He” The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, righteously deserves from us. 

May The Holy Names of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Be Blessed Now and Forever. We Love You, Save Souls!