Monday, July 2, 2012

The Sweetest Kiss

"Oh please don't go-we'll eat you up-we love you so!"  Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are

I've always tended toward scrupulosity and easily lay excessive and unwarranted guilt upon myself.  A few years ago, when I first began blogging, I read many blogs where discussions over the better way to receive communion, on the tongue or in the hand, were held.  The consensus of those that I read was that the holiest way to receive communion was on the tongue.   But I've been a lifelong hand-receiver and wasn't comfortable receiving the Lord directly on my tongue so the whole online conversation became a source of stress for me. It wasn't until I spoke about it with my spiritual director who reassured me that either way of receiving is correct, that I finally let go of that worry.

Recently I watched an online video called Jesus is on the Floor  and it brought the subject back to my mind.  The video highlighted the very real concern that crumbs of the host can fall on the floor while receiving in the hand and for some reason, this time around, that disturbed me enough for me to reconsider my stance.  I decided that I wanted to take better care of the Lord, to keep him from being offended or hurt by my actions.  Receiving the Eucharist on the tongue seems like such an easy way to show my love and affection for Him in a deeper way than receiving Him in my unworthy hands.  I decided that it was finally time for a change, not motivated by stress and scrupulosity, but motivated by love.

It can seem a bit awkward to begin doing something new.  There have been several hitches along the way, such as a little dance with the host the first time a priest, who has only known me to be a hand-receiver, tried to figure out why I didn't make a throne with my hands, and the time when a Eucharistic minister almost missed my mouth entirely.  But, I'm sure after a bit of adjustment, receiving the Eucharist on my tongue will become second nature to me.

Still, I'm glad that it isn't second nature right now.  I'm glad that it is new and strange to me because I feel as if I appreciate the gift of the Eucharist more than ever and I don't want that feeling to go away.  When I receive Jesus on the tongue I feel as if it is an unobstructed kiss from the Lord.  I don't have to "put" Him into my mouth, He enters right in.  The only effort required on my part is to be in a state of grace and to have the desire to receive Him.  And with that desire He allows me to eat Him and He will stay with me, become a part of me and forever remain within me.  Again and again, each time I receive Him, His presence intensifies within me.  Receiving His Body directly into my mouth is the sweetest kiss I have ever known.

10 comments:

  1. This is awesome. And I hate to used sch an overused word for it, because THIS genuinely IS. What a striking perspective, and you wrote it so beautifully. Your last paragraph is giving me so much to think about, and I am genuinely in awe.

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    1. Thank you so much Nancy. You are very kind!

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  2. Love this Anne! It was the "sweetest kiss" that did me in - how beautiful! I've had many thoughts on the Eucharist - hand versus tongue and what always comes to my mind is it's the disposition of the heart that counts the most. Having said that, I've also thought that receiving on the tongue shows more reverence and that matters too. I've done both, by the way.

    As you can see, I've pondered this issue a lot too :) Thanks for the great post and your thoughts on this!

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    1. Thanks for your comment Mary! I agree with you completely that it is the disposition of the heart that matters-that matters most in all things. God bless you!

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  3. Anne, when I began receiving the Eucharist on my tongue again about six years ago (I say again because I received my First Communion at the rail and did so for many years) I felt it was so humbling being given the Eucharist like a child. That is what Our Lord calls us to be -- "Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”Mk 10:13
    I could never go back to receiving Him in the hand.

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    1. "Like a child" I like that, Barbara! Thanks!

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  4. Lovely, Anne! I was taught that receiving on the tongue is allowing the LORD to feed us...as though we are truly His little children. I tried receiving in the hand a few times, because I had noticed someone kissing the Host before consuming It, and I wanted to experience that. But then, I soon returned to allowing Jesus to...as you said, bring me that sweet kiss.

    But, what Mary said is most important....

    Thank you for sharing so many of your beautiful thoughts!

    Oh, I loved your comment about your office which you left me yesterday. I'm going to claim Cardinal Dolan too! Just love him!

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  5. Patricia, with Cardinal Dolan as our father that makes us spiritual sisters! What a joy! Welcome to the family!

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  6. I began on the tongue when I saw so many others in Medjugorje receive in that manner. I agree with the feeling of littleness, like when I first received as a child. Now my only occasional concern, usually with new Eucharistic ministers, are the ones who want to make SURE it gets in your mouth, and so put it way back on your tongue, expecting you to swallow it whole, I guess. To them I offer a quiet tip, before or after mass: "just press it firmly on my tongue; it will stick." They seem more at comfort after that, and so do I.

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    1. Hi Tom,

      I like that you took a few minutes to quietly assist those who were new at distributing communion. I'm sure they appreciated your thoughtfulness. With the priest who had known me for years I did the same thing, I just quietly told him after Mass that I wanted to receive on the tongue from now on. I'm sure that will give us both more confidence the next time I approach him for communion.

      I imagine it can be very confusing for Eucharistic Ministers never knowing how each person prefers to receive our Lord and having to try to figure it out quickly as each individual approaches the altar and then to distribute with as much love and reverence as possible. I think that is one ministry which I could never feel worthy of performing so I am grateful for those who have responded to God's call to serve Him in this way.

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