Bill Farrelly has a wonderful ability as a writer to pose the questions we've probably all thought about at one time or another but never really answered. To be a bit colloquial though; he's a bugger — because he never answers them either! He provides wonderful reflections though — that probably do cause you, as the reader, to come up with an answer. Bill asks today: "Is the Eucharist real?"

Is the Eucharist Real?

by Bill Farrelly

DO YOU take the Eucharist in both forms? Do you ever have concerns about hygiene — including, even, hesitation in exchanging a handshake during the offering of peace?

These questions came to mind quite some time ago after reading of a bishop's instruction during a flu epidemic that Communion not be offered in the form of wine and that the handshake of peace be suspended till after the epidemic.

These matters have been raised before now, of course, and no doubt there are valid arguments for the bishop's position on the peace offering. If, for example, I have just sneezed into my hand because there was no time to grab my handkerchief, why should you then be obliged to take that hand in yours?

But I am much less comfortable about a ban on taking the Eucharistic blood.

I have to say that when the practice began, although it made perfect sense to me to take Communion in both forms, I did consider the matter of hygiene. However, I very quickly decided that I would not let that deter me from supping from the Cup.

There have been times, when I have been unwell, that I have not partaken because I did not feel I was being fair to my fellow Communicants.

If, as I believe, I am receiving the body and blood of Christ, shouldn't I be unconcerned about the possibility of contamination?

You might commend me but the truth is I feel a degree of unease over this. Was it a sign of consideration on my part or was it a sign of my lack of faith? Or was it both?

And therefore, was the bishop displaying a similar lack of faith?

We know, intellectually, that during the Consecration, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. Sometimes, however — even, I suspect, for the most devoted — it is hard to actually believe this.

I often wish I could feel more devout when I am receiving the Eucharist. Sometimes everything feels so ordinary that I ask myself, do you really believe that this is the body and blood of Christ? Well I do, but sometimes I doubt my sincerity.

I know and love good people, better Christians than I am, who go to Communion but struggle to believe they are receiving more than bread and wine — more than symbols.

The point I am getting to is this: If, as I believe, I am receiving the body and blood of Christ, shouldn't I be unconcerned about the possibility of contamination?

How can I be contaminated by the Eucharist?

But how do I stop my fear of contamination if, for example, I know that the person ahead of me has AIDS? How strong is my faith then?

It seems to me, that if — as I suspect I would — I walk away from the chalice, having not supped, I am declaring that I do not believe I was about to take the blood of Christ.

I am tempted to say that offering the Eucharist under both species has been a mistake but surely that is also a sign of a lack of faith.

Am I being too hard on myself and therefore on probably millions of other people?

I truly do not know the answer but I think the answer is no. I think that if I believe I am taking the blood of Christ then I should not hesitate to drink from the cup.

Therefore, I suspect that my professed belief that the wine truly has become Christ's blood may be false. And does that not also bring into question my professed belief that I am taking the body of Christ and not just bread?

I remember vividly my First Communion day. I remember the anticipation, the joy, the excitement. I remember — I can feel — the belief I had then.

Where did that go? It is too simple, too easy to say, well, that was just a child's faith, you can't expect to have that now that you are an adult. When we say something like that, aren't we at least hinting that the child's faith is naïve?

I need to remember what Jesus said , "Unless you become like little children ... "

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