From The Bishop

This Sunday we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi). The Church in her wisdom asks us to meditate upon the great mystery of the Eucharist. This provides us, as teachers and preachers, with a wonderful opportunity to share with our people the liturgical axiom lex orandi, lex credendi â€" the law of prayer is the law of faith. The Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it in even simpler terms, “the Church believes as she praysâ€� (1124). This means that if we believe, through the miracle of the Mass, that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, then our actions will reflect what we believe. The Blessed Sacrament should always be shown the greatest reverence and respect by our posture and actions at Mass. This is especially true when we receive Holy Communion. The Church allows two ways to receive the Eucharist. Receiving on the tongue is the universal norm for the Latin Rite; however, since 1969, permission has been given to various countries to allow communion in the hand. Since receiving the Eucharist in the hand can lead to dropping the host or to sacrilege if the host is not immediately consumed, greater care must be shown. St. Cyril of Jerusalem said the following regarding the proper way to receive “make your left hand a throne for the right, as that which is receiving a King.â€� If we receive communion in the hand, then we must follow the words of St Cyril. The person should also not move until the host has been consumed. There should be no walking away before this happens. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal says the following regarding the reception of Holy Communion. “In the Dioceses of Canada, Holy Communion is to be received standing, though individual members of the faithful may choose to receive Communion while kneeling. When standing before the minister to receive Holy Communion, the faithful should make a simple bow of the head. When receiving Holy Communion on the tongue, they reverently join their hands; when receiving Holy Communion in the hand, they reverently open their hands placing one beneath the other, and they consume the host immediately upon receiving it.â€� It is also important to remember that one should only approach the Lord in Holy Communion properly disposed and in a state of grace. Let us never forget WHO we are receiving â€" “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.â€�