{"id":20799,"date":"2020-03-27T12:37:13","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T17:37:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/?p=20799"},"modified":"2020-03-27T12:37:14","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T17:37:14","slug":"receiving-communion-in-one-kind","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/receiving-communion-in-one-kind\/","title":{"rendered":"Receiving Communion in one Kind"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Communion and the Coronavirus-COVID 19 Pandemic.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Background:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, against the background of the Novel Coronavirus, COVID19, I posted (in the Diocesan WhatsApp group) some thoughts in response to the concerns articulated by sections of the Church\u2019s membership, arising out of the Archbishop Gregory\u2019s Pastoral letter which called the clergy to administer communion in one kind only, i.e. under the species of bread. Some have asked for a further explanation, which I will seek to give, via this medium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receiving\ncommunion in One Kind- the host.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Many of us are aware that it was or is the norm for the Roman Catholic laity to receive communion in one kind under the species of bread. Although this practice became popular in the Middle Ages, the post-Vatican II reintroduction of clergy and laity receiving in both kinds (bread and wine) once again became the norm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the New Testament church received in both kinds (read first Corinthians 11:23-26), historical documents indicate that there developed a custom of communicating under the species of bread only, when administering communion to the sick. There was also the practice of persons taking home only the consecrated bread after the Sunday celebration to communicate during the week. Naturally, it would be easier to journey with the consecrated bread than with the consecrated wine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Roman Church\u2019s pastoral reasons for communicating under the species of bread only are noted in the Roman Catholic Catechism of 1566 i.e. Catechism of Trent \u2013 The Sacrament of the Eucharist. These include . . . easy distribution of the Sacrament<\/em>, especially in large congregations and protecting the consecrated wine from being profaned<\/em>. The concern here is expressed as to the spillage of the consecrated wine. If the consecrated bread drops to the ground it can easily be recovered; it is not the same with the consecrated wine. \u00a0Some of the reasons given in the Catechism may be questionable, they give pause for dialogue, setting the precedence for a pastoral response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The current situation in our world and country, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, demands a pastoral response as called for in the Archbishop\u2019s letter. In the present situation, the Church must exercise responsible care, particularly towards the most vulnerable among – the elderly and those with pre-existent health issues. \u00a0The actions being recommended, while not predicated on the measure of our faith, are nevertheless anchored to the Christian virtue of love of neighbour. Wisdom and charity are gifts of the Spirit, as is faith; they must play an integral role therefore, in shaping our attitudes and responses at all times, including times of crisis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\nis important to note then that the Anglican Church has always administered communion\nin both kinds except where the situation demands otherwise – where because of\nillness, the communicant is able to receive only in one kind.  It must also be noted that it is the custom\nto receive only under the species of bread at the Good Friday Liturgy and that\ngenerally, it is not recommended that large quantities of consecrated wine be reserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the current Catechism of the Roman\nCatholic Church, paragraph 1390, we have the following teaching indicating that\nChrist is present under each of the species and that the ideal is to receive communion\nunder both species of bread and wine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since Christ is\nsacramentally present under each of the species, communion under the species of\nbread alone makes it possible to receive all the fruit of Eucharistic grace<\/strong><\/em>.[ the bold is my emphasis] For pastoral reasons this\nmanner of receiving communion has been legitimately established as the most\ncommon form in the Latin rite. But “the sign of communion is more complete\nwhen given under both kinds, since in that form the sign of the Eucharistic\nmeal appears more clearly.” This is the usual form of receiving communion\nin the Eastern rites. <\/em>(Catechism of the Catholic Church 1992)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Receiving Communion under one kind then, while still not the ideal, conveys God\u2019s grace; \u201cthe fruit of Eucharistic grace\u201d, is no less available nor reduced by not receiving the other. This is also in keeping with the general Anglican position. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"

Photo by\u00a0James Coleman<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sacraments a means of God\u2019s grace.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The bread and wine in the Eucharist are means of\ngrace. In the Catechism (CPWI Book of Common Prayer Pages 389-414) we are\ntaught that . . . A Sacrament is an outward and visible sign of an inward\nand spiritual grace, given by Christ as sure and certain means by which we\nreceive that grace<\/em> (page 409: 108). In the sacramental rite our words, our\nprayers, which expresses the community\u2019s intention are also part of the outward\nsign of an inward and spiritual grace. It is interesting that in John\u2019s Gospel\nthe miracles and events in the life of Jesus are referred to as signs. Signs\nare not an end in themselves, they point to something or somewhere, in John\u2019s\ncase, to spiritual realities.  We see\nexamples of this point in the discussions Jesus had with Nicodemus, the\nSamaritan woman and the man born blind. Nicodemus failed to understand what\nJesus was saying; so, Jesus asked him, \u201cAre you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand\nthese things?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As creatures of matter, we naturally relate to things we can see and touch and communicate with by means of the physical. God communicates to us through matter viz, through the language and signs we understand. \u00a0In the Incarnation God took on flesh (matter) in Jesus Christ- The Word became flesh and dwelt among us (John1:14). God, however, is not limited to nor subject to matter. God transcends time and space. God is the Eternal One; whose grace is communicated through matter – the common things of life, water, bread, wine, oil and human beings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Sacraments communicate God\u2019s grace to us then, in ways we can identify. Water symbolizes life, new life and cleansing. Bread and wine the food and drink necessary for our physical sustenance and growth.\u00a0 The sacraments, therefore, are for our benefit, not God\u2019s. God in Christ has covenanted to be present to us in the Eucharist, but God is by no means limited thereto. Because we were created for fellowship with God, the Sacraments were instituted, in Christ, towards that objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the many things I learnt from the late Bishop Neville deSouza\u2019s\nteaching is that salvation is ultimately union with God<\/em>. This is made\nclear when we examine the two great sacraments of the Gospels i.e. Baptism and\nEucharist. In Baptism we are made members of Christ and by feeding on Christ\u2019s \u2018Body\nand Blood\u2019 in the Eucharist we are renewed and facilitated towards growing in\nthat union. The good news is \u201cGod so loved the world that He gave his only\nSon, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal\nlife\u201d<\/em>. (John 3:16) God desires fellowship with us and that we share in\neternal life, which is in all intents and purposes union with God. Every\nChristian, therefore, should desire more than anything else, comm-union<\/em>,\nwith God. This leads me to the subject of Spiritual Communion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spiritual Communion.<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spiritual Communion is a desire for union with Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. Since we cannot receive Christ sacramentally, we receive him spiritually. This is a rich tradition in the Church that goes back several centuries and embraced by many of the (modern)saints. It is practiced in preparation for the Holy Eucharist and by individuals who cannot be present at the service. I recall one of the modern saints of the church telling me, when I was a young man at the Cathedral Church, how she would take her Prayer Book and follow the service on a Sunday morning. When the bells were rung at the consecration of the bread and wine (these are the huge bells in the Cathedral tower that can be heard for miles around), she would approximate the time for the distribution and receive the sacrament spiritually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this time, therefore, when public gatherings are prohibited, it can be disheartening for those who have never had to go without the Blessed Sacrament. Spiritual Communion can become a way of making our communion with Christ and experiencing the peace and tranquillity that he offers. \u00a0Jesus said,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.\nI do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled,\nand do not let them be afraid.<\/em> (John 14:27)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spiritual Communion is possible because of God\u2019s love. God\ndesires union with us. In the words of St. Augustine, [God is] \u201cmore intimate\nto me than I am to myself\u201d, (Confessions). Spiritual Communion is something we\ncan practice every day and not only on Sundays or those times when the\ncommunity usually gathers for the Eucharist. Most spiritual directors will\nrecommend four basic steps to follow when making a Spiritual Communion. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the Prayer Book as a guide especially for those who may be engaging in it for the first time and on the Lord\u2019s Day, \u00a0I recommend the following five steps referred to by Fr. Michael Hurley, O.P. a Dominican Friar with modifications to suit our context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Create the space<\/strong> where you are most amiable to receive the Lord Jesus. This should be a quiet space where you are free from distractions and can settle your heart and mind to receive.
    • Pray the Collect for Purity, Kyries and the Collect for the day. <\/li>
    • Read through and spend some time meditating on the lessons.<\/li>
    • You may say the Creed, and spend some time in prayer for the church, world, local community, those suffering <\/li>
    • You may make your confession, and then pray the Lord\u2019s Prayer.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
    • Then in the stillness and quietness make an act of faith.<\/strong> Ask the Lord Jesus to help you to entrust yourself to Him.
      • The Prayer of Humble Access \u201cWe do not presume . . .\u201d (CPWI page 146) would be helpful as you prepare to receive the Lord Jesus.<\/li><\/ul><\/li>
      • Make an act of love. <\/strong>This is to offer yourself and your all to God, <\/strong>asking God to help you to be his servant and presence to others, <\/li>
      • Then invite the Lord to open the door of your heart in an intentional way<\/strong>. The following prayer, prayed by many before, may be helpful. A similar pray to this can also be prayed.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        My Jesus I believe that\nYou are present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I\ndesire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You\nsacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You\nhave already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be\nseparated from You<\/em>. Amen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        • Then have a moment of thanksgiving.<\/strong> Say thank you. You may find one of the three Post Communion\nPrayers (CPWI page 147-148) helpful at this stage.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          I sincerely hope that the information I have shared will be helpful or light a spark within you, motivating you towards further reading\/ investigation into the subjects raised therein. For easy access, information is available via the internet. You may wish to explore them with a spiritual director or a priest who could accompany you, as you make your journey through this process.\u00a0 Finally, let me encourage you also to explore the prayer lives of the early church fathers and mothers. A deeper understanding of their methods and practices could also be helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Bishop Leon P. Golding.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Communion and the Coronavirus-COVID 19 Pandemic. Background: Recently, against the background of the Novel Coronavirus, COVID19, I posted (in the Diocesan WhatsApp group) some thoughts in response to the concerns articulated by sections of the Church\u2019s membership, arising out of the Archbishop Gregory\u2019s Pastoral letter which called the clergy to administer communion in one kind…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":610,"featured_media":20802,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature","ctfw-has-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20799","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/610"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20799"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20799\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20806,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20799\/revisions\/20806"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20799"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20799"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.anglicandioceseja.org\/copy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20799"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}