Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time - November 8, 2015

The famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright once commented, “There is nothing more uncommon than common sense.” Harriet Beecher Stowe said, “Common sense is seeing things as they are; and doing things as they ought to be.” According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Common sense is genius dressed in its working clothes.” Finally, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas said, “Common sense often makes good law.” Perhaps that last quotation is the most important, for I would like to appeal to common sense in stating a policy for St. Malachy Parish.

I was once stationed in a temporary assignment, filling in for a pastor who was on a leave of absence. Quite a few people asked me about whether we could offer Holy Communion under both forms. When I asked why we were not doing it in the first place, I learned that the parish had quit offering the cup because of the fear of spreading germs. I was sympathetic to those who wanted the option, but I did not want to step on the pastor’s toes.

Here at St. Malachy, we do give the Precious Blood at Mass. Many people still feel comfortable receiving from the cup, and I do not want to deprive them of the opportunity. So I would like to ask you to use common sense when making the decision. If you have a cold or some other communicable illness, please refrain from receiving the Blood of Christ. And if you have any doubts, you need not receive the Precious Blood. There is great benefit to receiving in both forms. As the Vatican document Redemptionis Sacramentum states, “So that the fullness of the sign may be made more clearly evident to the faithful in the course of the Eucharistic banquet, lay members of Christ’s faithful, too, are admitted to Communion under both kinds.” But for those who do not wish to receive from the cup, we remember that St. Thomas Aquinas explained, “nothing is lost by the body being received by the people without the blood: because the priest both offers and receives the blood in the name of all, and the whole Christ is present under either species.” In other words, when we receive just the Body of Christ, we receive all that Christ has to offer us, while that fullness may be more evident when we receive under both forms. I want to continue giving the option of receiving from the cup, but I must ask you to use common sense during cold and flu season.

Finally, let me use this point to remind you that what we receive truly is the Body and Blood of Christ. Whatever your choice, please do not get into the habit of referring to the cup as “taking the wine.” It truly is the Precious Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that we receive.

                                                                                            Father H