I know many Catholic Christians who believe it is irreverent to receive the Holy Eucharist in the hand.
Is it a doctrine? No. Was it for the longest time (most of Church History) a Discipline? Yes.
Though Disciplines can change and Doctrines cannot, it does not mean that changing the Discipline was good.
I take research polls with a grain of reality, because so many non-Practicing Catholics refer to themselves as “Catholic” in polls, but some polls show that an overwhelming percentage of Catholic Christians do not believe in The Eucharist is the body and blood of Jesus, let alone revere Him in the Blessed Sacrament!
I am not saying that those (myself included) who receive in the hand are less believing. I believe full-heartedly that the Eucharist is true! And that Jesus is truly present! And someone could receive on the tongue and not believe.
I am of the opinion that we should bring back an altar rail and restore the Discipline of kneeling while receiving. Whether in the hands or or on the tongue, I’m not really that concerned about. I am focused on Jesus, not on how others are receiving our Lord.
Good discussion. When I was an altar boy, we used to hold trays under people’s chins so if the Eucharist was fumbled it would fall on the tray. This practice was continued as people were no longer required to kneel at the altar, but still received by tongue. One day a tall gentlemen fumbled the Eucharist off the tongue and it fell to the floor. I bent over to pick it up and the priest pushed my hand away. I did not understand, but after Mass a friend’s parent explained that only consecrated hands could touch the Eucharist. Within a year, the practice was loosened so that we could receive by hand.
That’s what the congregation are meant to be doing. Unless they’re not in a state of grace and which if the situation shouldn’t be receiving Holy Communion. Unless our hands are somehow disconnected to the rest of our biology and if so then what of our arms which connect our torso to those hands?! And would your tongue happen to be a more worthy physical attribute than your ligaments? To expect it on the tongue is in fact a mild form of disobedience, at the level of mistrust.
