Have you ever had an experience where you felt rejected by a church in some way, during the celebration of communion (aka the Eucharist)? Same, girl, same.
Maybe this was an experience where you were told you could not get communion because of your beliefs or maybe because you had some other factor that “disqualified” you from it. Maybe you felt uncomfortable because you were forced to take communion without knowing what it really meant, or because your parents or some other figure in your life told you that you needed to take communion to secure your relationship with God.
I can relate to the confusion and discomfort that is caused in churches, and particularly the Catholic church during the Eucharist sometimes.
My dad’s side of the family is Catholic, and I have always loved that about them because I am so glad that my family is strong in their faith. However, I will never forget the pain I experienced going to mass with my cousins when I was younger. When it was time for the Eucharist, one of my aunts told me in a very serious tone, “Alena, you need to sit here. You can’t go up.” I was old enough to feel the pang of being singled out and I felt ashamed. Why couldn’t I be like my other cousins?
Though I do not agree with the Catholic Church and their beliefs in this aspect, I think the intention of the church is not to make people feel this way.
I can’t receive the bread and wine in a Catholic church because I belong to a Protestant church. In the Catholic church, every Sunday, practicing Catholics are invited to share in the body and blood of Christ at the altar. The ritual is a key part of the faith, because in the church, Catholics believe that this process brings worshippers close to Jesus, as it brings the body of Christ into their body. To clarify, Catholics believe in something called transubstantiation: the bread and wine contain Christ’s presence, His body and blood with just the appearance of bread and wine left.
This idea is based on scripture.
For example, Luke 22:17-20 says:
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
And John 6:53-57 is even more widely cited for showing how the blood and wine are not figuratively Jesus,
“Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life … For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him … so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.’”
This belief of transubstantiation not only shows oneness with the Christ, but it also represents an important desire of the Catholic church. All are joined together under the same unique set of beliefs, thus Catholics around the world can feel at one with one another.
So, in essence, the reason that I cannot get communion in the Catholic church is because I am not Catholic.
By taking communion I would in theory, be claiming that I believe in Catholic doctrines. I should not join the full body of the church through this sacrament because it is not my belief system.
I still am uncomfortable sitting in the pew during communion, but understanding the reasoning behind it has helped me. One thing you can always do if it makes you feel better, is to go up to the altar anyway, but cross your arms over your chest. Instead of giving you the Eucharist, the priest will bless you.
I touched mostly on the Catholic church because I have had more experience in these services. However, it is important to add that another branch of Christianity, the Orthodox church, falls under similar beliefs regarding Holy Communion.
Since Catholics believe that the Eucharist is powerful and is significant beyond symbolism, they also require their members to be aware of what communion represents. Catholic children and converts take several classes and prepare for their first communion.
Those receiving communion must understand its significance and prepare themselves to receive this holy sacrament, even if they are Catholic.
This beautiful tradition was not created to exclude anyone, but to help participants understand the sacrifice Jesus made and its importance in our lives. If you have more questions on the tradition of the Catholic Church I encourage you to do more research and ask Catholics about their traditions. There is so much we can learn from different expressions of Christianity!
Do you agree or disagree with how the Catholic church sees the Eucharist? What are your questions? What have your experiences been with the Holy Communion?
Keep your eyes out for an article on how communion works in other churches later this spring!
My love,
Alena
