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A friend of mine recently pointed out to me the dramatic proof
that there were cars in Biblical times. It's true! Enjoy these
examples:
In Genesis, we learn that God drove Adam and Eve out of the
Garden in a Fury.
In Kings and Chronicles, we find that David's Triumph was
heard throughout the land.
Even the New Testament offers us some proofs – look
at the book of Acts; it tells us that the apostles were all
in one Accord.
Finally, in 2 Corinthians, verse 48 describes traveling in
a Volkswagen Beetle – "We are pressed in every way,
but not cramped beyond movement."
I think you all burned off minutes in purgatory just by reading
that… |
Dear Father Joe:
How do people who are allergic to wheat receive Communion?
Some people are allergic to wheat and
some have Celiac disease, which means they are gluten-intolerant.
When it's time to receive Communion, our brothers and sisters
with these conditions can have trouble receiving the host because
the only two ingredients allowed in making the bread are wheat and
water – that is it. They may find themselves unable to receive
the sacred body of Christ.
They are, however, generally able to
receive the precious blood. The church defines this using
the principle of the hypostatic union. That term basically means
that, even as Jesus' full humanity and divinity were present in
him, both the sacred body and the precious blood contain the fullness
of the Eucharistic experience. Those who receive only the blood
are not getting "less than" those who are able to receive both species.
Your pastor can explain this in more detail if you'd like.
According to Diocese of Lansing guidelines,
there are several options open to those who suffer from gluten intolerance,
or Celiac disease. The church understands that Celiac sufferers
can be seriously harmed by ingesting even a small amount of gluten,
and has taken steps to accommodate their needs:
• A low-gluten host, made by Benedictine
sisters in Missouri, should be available in all parishes. Its
gluten content is 0.01%. Check with your physician first, and
then inform the pastor prior to Mass that you will need the low-gluten
host. The pastor should be familiar with safe handling of these
hosts: consecrating them in a separate pyx, refraining from handling
them after he's touched other bread and ensuring they do not come
in contact with wheat-containing products.
• If you cannot have any gluten at all, you may receive
the precious blood from the cup. In order to avoid wheat contamination,
you can bring a sterilized chalice from home. The chalice should
be stored in a zip-top plastic bag until it is filled with wine.
After filling, the priest will ensure that no bread is placed
into it during the fraction rite. Make arrangements with your
pastor ahead of time
What is the difference
between Catholic Communion and Protestant Communion? May I receive
Communion in a Protestant church?
We have to start off with a really basic
idea – there are literally tens of thousands of Protestant
denominations and there are about that many different ideas among
them about what Communion is. For example, many Episcopalians
believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, but some
don't. Missouri Synod Lutherans believe in the real presence, but
in a different way than we do. I could go on, but I think you get
the idea.
It's easier to say what we believe. We believe the Eucharist is
primarily two things: reality and a sign.
Reality: we believe the Eucharist is
the very flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
We believe that the bread still looks and tastes like bread. In
philosophy, that appearance is called the accident. However, we
believe that the essence of the bread is replaced by Jesus. Philosophically,
we call this the substance. In the end, the bread is permanently
transformed into Jesus. This process is called transubstantiation.
What a word!
Sign: The Eucharist is a sign of our
unity with the Church. It's also the source of that unity, but that
is another article. When we receive the Eucharist, we are
saying that we are in communion with the church. We are indicating
that we have surrendered our will (not intellect) to the wisdom
of the church, as passed on to us through the successors of the
apostles, our bishops. I guess an easy way to say it is this –
when we are in communion with the church and struggle with a teaching
of the church, we assume we need to change.
When we go with our Protestant brothers and sisters to church, we
should refrain from receiving Communion precisely because we are
not yet in full communion with them. Tragically, the prayer of Jesus
in John 15 that we "be one," as Jesus is one with the Father and
the Holy Spirit, isn't here yet. We are divided, and a sad consequence
of that division is that we can't receive a sign of unity.
Let's continue to pray that we who profess to
believe in Christ will grow in unity and "be one."
Enjoy another day in God's presence!
Originally Published: May 2005
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