正確地領聖體 Receive the Holy Communion Properly

聖體聖血節，乙年
主題：正確地領聖體

出於愛，天主父創造了一個適合人類居住的宇宙，並按自己的肖像創造了人。出於愛，天主子降生成人，成為耶穌基督，死在十字架上，為人類贖罪。出於愛，耶穌基督留下聖體和聖血，與我們天天在一起，直到今世的終結。（瑪28:20）。出於愛，天主聖神繼續保守著耶穌基督所建立的教會，藉著聖神降臨在無酵餅和葡萄酒上，祝聖為耶穌基督的聖體聖血。教會天天舉行彌撒聖祭，直到今世的終結。

福音記載了有關在「最後晚餐」發生的故事。當時，耶穌基督拿起麵餅，祝福了，擘開，遞給門徒說，這麵餅是祂的身體。又祝福了杯中的葡萄酒，說這是祂的血。（谷14:22-24）耶穌基督既是天主，言出必行。所以，毫無疑問，那麵餅和葡萄酒，當然是耶穌基督真實的體血了。在路加福音中，耶穌基督更吩咐門徒，「應行此禮，為紀念我。」（路22:19）所以教會按耶穌基督的囑咐，每天舉行彌撒聖祭。
不過，福音並沒有具體記載怎樣舉行這項禮儀，例如由誰人主持，在甚麼時候和地點舉行，誰可以領聖體，領多少次等等。這些具體的問題，有待教會從歷史累積得來的經驗，作出反省和處理。我們稱這些經驗和反省為「傳統」。例如，有部份基督教派，因為他們否定耶穌基督真實地臨在於聖體之中，又否認神父的公務司祭職。因此，在他們的傳統中，已經沒有「聖體聖事」，祇有「聖餐」。又例如東正教，在Youtube找到的短片中，可以看到他們的傳統，是用茶匙，餵聖體聖血給嬰兒的。我們天主教的傳統又是怎樣的呢？今天我們慶祝「聖體聖血節」，讓我們一起重溫聖體聖事的道理。

聖體聖事帶給教友甚麼好處呢？

1. 領聖體使領受的人在愛德中，與主結合。因為耶穌基督不單是真天主，亦是真實的人。所以這結合不但是靈性上的結合，更是物質上的結合。耶穌基督的聖體聖血，被我們領受了，消化了，吸收了，成了我們身體的一部份。一位教父曾以熔了的燭與其他熔了的燭，共溶在一起來描述這份耶穌基督和我們神秘的結合，有如成語「水乳交融」或「我中有你，你中有我」的狀態，亦是若望福音所說：「誰吃我的肉，並喝我的血，便住在我內，我也住在他內。」（若6:56）
2. 為已準備好，並且堪當領聖體的人，聖體聖事舒暢人的靈魂，增加成聖的恩寵。
3. 聖體聖事不單是靈魂的神糧，同時這個神糧，更是靈魂的解藥。犯了大罪固然需要辦修和聖事，但聖體聖事亦可以抹去小罪，並幫助靈魂不犯大罪。
4. 最後，聖體聖事是將來光榮復活的保證。

由此可見，聖體聖事是多麼寶貴的一份禮份，是耶穌基督把自己完全的交付給我們這些不堪當的罪人。所以，聖奧思定鼓勵教友，應該經常恭敬地，領受聖體聖事。

但從歷史的經驗中，可能因為黑死病的肆虐，群眾又多是文盲，神職人員又沒有充份的訓練，以至教友竟然害怕領聖體。他們生活在死亡的陰影之下，覺得自己罪孽深重，不堪當領受耶穌基督神聖的體血。他們忘記了耶穌基督，當我們還是罪人的時候，已憐憫了我們的輕弱，為我們交付了自己的性命，死在十字架上。耶穌基督是如何渴望分施祂的生命給我們，養活我們，堅強我們成為更多的基督哩 ！為了鼓勵教友勤領聖體，教會於1215年，頒佈法令，教友必須每年最少一次，向神父妥當告解的法令，否則會遭受絕罰。言下之意，教友亦應每年最少領一次聖體！如果祗此一次，就必須在復活節。

那麼，教友應怎樣預備自己，恭領聖體呢？

1. 我們應懷有渴望與耶穌基督結合的心意。領聖體不是為了滿全本份，而是渴望參與天上的婚宴，渴望獲得神糧的滋養。
2. 倘若有大罪，就必須先行妥當告解。出賣耶穌的猶達斯，就是一個反面的教材。在最後晚餐，若望宗徒問耶穌誰人出賣祂的時候，耶穌蘸一片餅遞給猶達斯，指給若望知道，是猶達斯出賣主的。福音說：「隨著那片餅，撒殫進入了他的心。」（13:27）由此可見，冒領聖體的可怕之處。可是，耶穌基督是慈悲的，祂何嘗希望見到猶達斯的喪亡呢（則18:32）？
3. 在彌撒的致候禮部份，已有懺悔經文，足夠赦免我們的小罪。隨後的聖道禮，更幫助我們預備心神，領受耶穌基督神聖的體血。倘若有大罪的障礙，不能領聖體，亦可以「神領聖體」，求耶穌基督賜予決心勇氣，妥當告解。
4. 最後，為了幫助我們能謙遜地領聖體，教會規定領聖體前守齋，為了空虛自己，領受更多更大的恩寵。梵二之前的聖體齋是整個領聖體前的早上。因此，早餐的英文是breakfast，即是粵語的「打爛齋砵」。食過早餐就不能領聖體了。梵二之後的今天，城市人的生活步伐快，教會便放寬這個守齋的規定，是領聖體前一個小時。為了幫助教友能妥當領聖體，有些神父用心良苦，講很長篇的道理，保證教友能滿全守聖體齋的本份。

近年來在教友中間，爭論「口領聖體」與「手領聖體」，「跪著領」還是「站著領」，哪一種比較虔誠，哪一種更尊重耶穌基督。這爭論根本不應該存在。所謂「誠於中，形於外。」用任何形式領聖體，一樣可以褻瀆神聖。試問坐輪椅的長者，他們不跪下領聖體，就對耶穌基督不敬嗎？有些人跪下口領聖體，心中卻炫耀自己的虔誠，這不是褻瀆神聖是甚麼？所以問題在於人的心。有誰可以判斷人的心呢？是天主而不是人。倘若爭論的話，恐怕是為了炫耀自己的虔誠罷了。這樣的人與法利塞人有甚麼分別呢？

話倒要說回來，手領聖體應該要格外小心莊重的。接過聖體，應用另一隻手掌覆蓋著，前往蘸聖血。不是怕聖體被風吹走，而且提防慣性地把聖體放在咀裡，忽然想起未蘸聖血，再從咀裡把聖體拿出來…有個別教友把聖體蘸聖血後，並沒有迅速恭領，而是拿著「血淋淋」的聖體劃十字，拿回座位餵…蘸聖血時不小心，整個聖體掉入聖爵中，怎麼辦？有些教友情急之下，用手在聖血中淘出聖體…

各位兄弟姊妹，耶穌基督十分渴望我們恭領聖體，把祂帶到社區裡，祝福那些渴望認識真理的群眾。讓我們領聖體後，感謝基督之餘，亦能與主心心相印，領會祂的心意。
天主保祐。

---

Solemnity of the Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, Year B
Theme: Receive the Holy Communion Properly

Out of love, God the Father created a universe suitable for humanity and created men in His own image. Out of love, God the Son incarnated to become Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the redemption of our sins. Out of love, Jesus Christ leaves behind His body and blood to be with us always, until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). Out of love, the Holy Spirit continues to keep the Church Jesus Christ establishes. The Holy Spirit descends on the bread and wine, consecrates them into the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Church celebrates mass until the end of the age.

The gospels tell us the story of the Last Supper during which Jesus Christ took bread, said the blessing, broke it and gave it to the disciples, saying that that is his body. Then he took a cup, gave thanks and said that that was his blood (Mark 14:22-24). Since Jesus Christ is God who is faithful, there is no doubt that the bread and wine are truly the body and blood of Jesus Christ. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus told his disciples, "Do this in memory of me." (Luke 22:19) Therefore, the Church follows Jesus' instruction to celebrate mass every day.
But the gospels do not tell us how to do it in concrete details. For example, who presides over it, when and where to celebrate, who may receive the Holy Communion and how often etc.? The Church has to accumulate her experiences throughout the ages, reflects and handles them in order to come up with an answer. We call these experiences and reflections "Tradition". For example, some denominations deny the real presence of Jesus in the Communion. Moreover, they deny the ministerial priesthood of priests. Thus, they don't have Holy Eucharist in their tradition. They only have the "Lord's Supper", whatever it may mean. One more example, from video clips on Youtube, we may be able to take a glimpse of the Eastern Orthodox tradition. They feed infants bread and wine with a silver spoon. What about our Catholic tradition? Today, we are celebrating the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. Let us review the doctrines about the Holy Eucharist.

What benefits does the Holy Communion bring?

1. The recipients of the Holy Communion are united with the Lord by love. Since Jesus Christ is not only truly divine, but also truly human, this union is not only spiritual but is also physical. We receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ which are digested, absorbed and they become part of our bodies. Once, a Church Father describes this mystical union as the melting of pieces of wax together. "Like admixing water and milk" as a Chinese idiom goes or a poem, "In me there is you and in you me" which depicts such a state. The gospel also says, "Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him." (John 6:56)
2. For those who have worthily prepared, the Holy Communion increases sanctifying grace and spiritual delight in the soul.
3. The Holy Communion is not only a spiritual food, but at the same time, it is a spiritual antidote. For mortal sins, we need the Sacrament of Reconciliation. But the Holy Communion is also able to purify us of venial sins and preserves us from mortal sins.
4. Lastly, the Holy Communion is a pledge of our glorious resurrection and eternal happiness.

Thus, we can see how precious a gift the Holy Communion is. Jesus Christ unreservedly gives His totality to us unworthy sinners. St. Augustine encourages the faithful to receive the Holy Communion frequently.

However, historical experiences show that sometimes the faithful were afraid to receive the Holy Communion, probably due to the rampage of Black Death, the illiteracy of the people and insufficient formation of the clergy. People were living in the shadow of death, guilt-ridden and felt that they were not worthy to receive the most holy body and blood of Jesus Christ. They forgot that, out of mercy on our weakness, Jesus handed over His life on the cross to die for us while we were still sinners. How much does Jesus want to share His life with us, to feed us and strengthen us to become many more christs! In order to encourage the faithful to receive more frequently the Holy Communion, the Church decreed, in 1215, that the faithful should properly confess at least once a year to priests, at the pain of excommunication. In other words, the faithful are encouraged to receive the Holy Communion at least once a year! That must be during Easter.

Then, how should the faithful prepare themselves to receive the Holy Communion in reverence?

1. They should desire to be united with Jesus Christ in love. It is not out of duty, but of the desire to partake in the heavenly banquet and receive spiritual nourishment.
2. They should properly confess if they are in a state of mortal sin. Judas is a counter-example. During the Last Supper, John asked Jesus who would betray him. Jesus handed a morsel to Judas, showing to John Judas was the traitor. The gospel says, "After he took the morsel, Satan entered him." (13:27) From this, we can see the horror of sacrilegious Communion due to a lack of contrition. However, Jesus Christ is merciful. Does He find pleasure in the demise of Judas (Ezekiel 18:32)? Thirdly,
3. After the Greeting section of Mass, there is a Penitential Act which is good enough to forgive venial sins. Then comes the Liturgy of the Word to help prepare our hearts to receive the most holy body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Communion Rite. If mortal sins prevent us from receiving the Holy Communion, we can still receive it spiritually, begging Jesus to grant us determination and courage to properly confess.
4. Lastly, in order to help us receive the Holy Communion in a humble manner, the Church decrees a communion fast which empties us to receive more and greater grace. Before Vatican II, the faithful fasted the whole morning before communion. Thus, "breakfast" breaks the communion fast. Today, the pace of urban life is fast. The Church relaxes the requirement to one hour before communion. To help the congregation fast properly, some clergy deliver long-winded homilies with a good intention to guarantee that the congregation fulfil their duty.

Recently, a controversy rages on among the faithful. Which is more pious and showing more reverence to Jesus Christ, to receive the Holy Communion on the tongue or in the hand, to kneel or to stand? This controversy shouldn't have existed at all in the first place. Your inner disposition determines your outward manners. Whatever way of receiving the Holy Communion can be sacrilegious! Image somebody confined to the wheelchair. Is his not kneeling disrespect for Jesus Christ? Somebody receives the Holy Communion on the tongue, kneeling. In his heart, he congratulates himself for being more pious than the others. If this is not sacrilegious, then what is? The whole problem is a matter of our hearts. Who can pass judgment on our hearts? Of course it is God and not men. If we insist on arguing, I am afraid it is a showing off of one's piety. How is it different from the Pharisees?

Yet, we need to be more careful and solemn when we receive the Holy Communion in the hand. After receiving the Holy Communion in one hand, we should cover it with another and move ahead to dip the blood. (This is a privileged manner applicable to the Hong Kong Diocese only!) In this way, we may avoid putting the host into our mouth habitually but suddenly realize that we have not dipped the host into the chalice yet. Then we take the host out of our lips and … Some parishioners do not receive the two species immediately. Instead, they cross themselves with the "blood dripping" host and return to their seats to feed the … What should we do if we accidentally slip the host into the chalice? Some parishioners try to "recover" the host from the chalice …

Brethren, how much does Jesus Christ desire our receiving the Holy Communion to bring Him out into the neighbourhood to bless those who thirst for the knowledge of the Truth! Let us receive the Holy Communion with reverence, besides being grateful to the Lord, know His will.
God bless!