Tongue/Hand and Bread/Wine and Either and Both

So how's Christmas going?

Lovely,I tried to keep it focused on Christ. I hear that you Catholics do that.

We try. Of course that's what the celebration is about. Without the birth of Our Savior, Jesus, they'd be no Christmas.

We agree on that, for sure. I bet the music at your Midnight Mass was special.

Yes, and the flowers, and the Readings.

Was the Mass different?

You mean the celebration of the Eucharist, itself?

Oh yeah! What did you do for a Christmas Eucharist?

You mean the Consecration of the Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Jesus?

yes

That is always the same. The same words that Jesus used.

Well what about the people receiving Communion?

What do you mean?

At the Mass you took me to, some people went to the priest, some to regular people, some had wine, and some knelt down, some bowed, and I couldn't follow what was happening.

Mmmmmm You've just hit a hot button issue -- how best to receive Communion. It's personal preference. Some priests prefer Communion on the tongue, and some prefer Communion in the hand. Some people, likewise. The same with the kneeling, and bowing. That's the way some show reverence. Most people in the United States take Communion in the hand. We call receiving the Bread and the Wine receiving both Species. Actually, that's a matter of practicality: whether there's time, the ministers to distribute Communion, and the occasion. The Bread and Wine is the fuller form. However, we Catholics believe Christ is present in even the One Form.

So who do you know to go to? Which line?

LOL! The closest to your seat.

What if you're in AA and can't drink the wine?

Then don't. I don't, not because I'm in AA, but because I had Cronkhite Canada Syndrome and it's so rare that it's not sure how it's carried. I'm probably not a carrier, but why take the chance when I can receive Christ, wholly and entirely, and receive the necessary grace for my salvation, in the Bread alone?

What if you have celiac disease?

The same. The Wine or better to call it, the Precious Blood, is wholly and entirely the true Sacrament, and the same grace is given, just like the Sacred Host. So celiacs only take the Precious Blood.

Wow.

You can say that again. WOW.

If you Catholics really believe that, then why aren't you all receiving Communion on your knees?


Good question. Very good question! Because we're Americans? Because it would take too long? Because too many are elderly and can't? Because it's not comfortable? .......all of the above. As you noticed some people do. Others may think that's too show-offy. Matt. 6:6 Some pastors have asked people not to. It takes too long. What can I say? It really is a pastoral decision. But one or two people kneeling isn't too time consuming. But wait a minute. Don't get hung up on posture. It's important to receive Communion with faith and devotion whether kneeling or not?

I see.

I'll take you to some Masses where Communion is distributed by the intinction of the Host.

Huh?

You'll see.

OK. That'll be interesting.

My Personal Top Five 2011

Richie and I celebrated our 40th year anniversary!

The Master General of the Dominican Family visited my Chapter.

My granddaughter's first birthday.

Family Newport Vacation.

New Translation of the Roman Missal.

From the site "We are Catholic." Inspiring!

When is Christmas Over?

When I went back to work today, I was surprised to find all the Christmas decorations put away. That's it! It's gone. Christmas is over.

How sad. Another reason, I'm glad I'm Catholic. Our Christmas lasts until January 8th, this year. The Epiphany, the Feast of the Three Kings, where Christians celebrate the Wisemen bringing their gifts to the Christ child, is actually January 6th. but that's a Friday, so it has been transferred to Sunday, January 8th.

Some people actually exchange their Christmas gifts on this day, instead of the birth of Christ. It's a wonder some enterprising entrepreneur hasn't capitalized on these two holidays and hyped it up to two Christmases. But of course, the religious meaning of Christmas hasn't entered the minds of the secular commercial promoters. They promote the idea of Santa bringing gifts (period).

Hence the mind set of the people at my work, who took down the Christmas decorations. They think Christmas is a party and socializing and gifts. It is so much more. Again, thank God, I'm Catholic. I party, socialize, and exchange gifts, AND I experience Jesus in the celebration at Midnight Mass. Jesus was present in everyone at that Mass. The music, the singing, the candles, the bells, the incense, the prayers, the readings, the blessings, the Kiss of Peace, and listening to my husband sing Silent Night (now there's a miracle)enhance our communion with Jesus. It is a happy time for everyone. For Catholics, this feeling of goodwill last until Little Christmas, Jan. 8th, 2012.

Jesus came to us as a baby. He is not a God to be feared, but to Love. And He wants nothing from us, but our love. This is what I feel this Christmas season--God's love. This is what Christians experience and mean by Christmas. This is exactly, what the secular world doesn't get.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice! Psalm 96

Want A Patron Saint for 2012?

Matthew from a Catholic Life is matching patron saints to people who request them. I can attest to this wonderful devotion. I have met and become close to my patrons, over the years that I have participated.

I've also requested patrons for my family and others, whom I thought might benefit. So it you, too, would like to receive the patronage of a saint, this year, click on A Catholic Life and ask for a patron. God bless.

Down Syndrome Community

Look at this website, Fraternities Notre-Dame de l'Etoile. They aim to develop and support small "fraternities" of down syndrome people who want to live a spiritually oriented Christian life.
Everyday's life is shared between education, manual activites, and prayer and services, in the parish environment.

Their challenge is now to develop many other such tiny "micro-structures".
It is essential to mitigate the fragility of the size by a united functioning in network.
So don't hesitate to let us be known by parents, by physicians, by anybody, family, teacher, who would be interested to help create a new "Frat" anywhere aroud the world.

May God bless them with many graces. Lord, secure them with Your Love.

Gestation

Since I've volunteered to do the Readings on January 1st, I thought I'd take a look at them to see what I've gotten myself into.

They're good ones. I can relate, Gal. 4: 4-7. When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman,...

Mary's pregnancy must have been like most women's--long, with much praying, worrisome, and with a lot of planning ahead. Finally, a baby is born. Jesus is born.

Isn't this how people convert? I use "convert" very broadly. I mean changing from non-believing to believing, not caring to caring, not understanding to understanding.

Coming to believe, to understand, to accept, or even to go deeper, doesn't happen instantaneously. It takes time. One has to be open, to accept (like Mary did). Then one day, after a period of gestation, epiphany! Thanks be to God.