From the Pastor:
The past few weekends we priests have been making several announcements about the distribution of Holy Communion. The first of those is that we will resume distribution of the Holy Eucharist from the chalice beginning this Easter, provided that we have sufficient assistance from parishioners to do so. The second announcement was a request for parishioners who have love and devotion for the Lord in the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist to consider helping with distribution of Holy Communion. The third announcement was the upcoming mandatory training for those who will be helping with distribution of the Holy Eucharist, whether they have been or will begin doing so.
Looking at each of these more closely, the Church has taught from its very beginning that what we receive at Holy Communion is Jesus, the living, resurrected person. In the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, which we receive during Holy Communion, we do NOT receive simply the spirit of Jesus, but instead Jesus himself. God is equally as present to us now through Holy Communion as He was to the people in the Holy Land two thousand years ago, with the only difference being that of appearance.
For the early Christians, if God would do the unimaginable of coming to us as man, then there was nothing stopping God from coming to us through the consecrated bread of the priest at Mass. When we receive Holy Communion, we do not receive aspects of Jesus’ spirit or physical body, but instead the crucified, resurrected Person who stood before the apostles in the Upper Room on Easter Sunday. The same limitations of human eyesight that prevent us from seeing the oxygen that we breathe also prevent us from seeing Jesus in the Eucharist.
The Church offers faithful Catholics who are free from serious sin to receive Jesus in the sacrament of Holy Communion. Beginning this Easter, they will once again be able to receive from the ciborium (consecrated host) and the chalice (consecrated wine). The only difference between these two is appearance. Each is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ. Priests and deacons are the ordinary ministers of this sacrament. Where there is a shortage of these ministers, the church does allow the laity to assist as extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC).
The Church directs any minister of Holy Communion to receive regular spiritual formation and training. This is an ordinary part of the daily life of priests and deacons. For EMHCs, the Church encourages them to live the Catholic faith more fully every day, as well as to also receive formal training and catechesis each year. The first opportunity for this was provided last weekend and the second opportunity is this weekend for all EMHCs, regardless if they have been doing so for years.
I encourage every Catholic to learn more about the Faith. Learning about the Eucharist through prayer and study is a lifelong endeavor. If you have love for the Lord present to us in the Eucharist, then prayerfully consider helping us priests and deacons with distribution at Mass and/or to those in care facilities, hospitals, or the homebound.
In faith and faithfulness,
Fr. Miller