I’m sharing this story for those who need a deeper understanding of the Eucharist.
When Mike and I were a young married couple, we once attended Mass at St. John Eudes in Chatsworth, California. We had not been to Mass in a while, yet one thing remained unforgettable: the overwhelming joy I felt after I received Communion. The sensation was profound, and though I lacked the spiritual maturity to comprehend what was truly happening, I was receiving the Body of Christ Himself. For years, I carried that memory of joy without truly understanding its source. But as I slowly returned to my Catholic roots, the meaning became clear: what had been missing from my life all along was not merely a feeling, but the Eucharist – the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.
St. Teresa of Calcutta
“Whenever I go in the world, the thing that makes me the saddest is people receive Communion in the hand.” St. Teresa of Calcutta
When reminded of this quote, a clear memory surfaced – standing in Paris at Notre Dame Cathedral during holy Mass. A nun from the Order of Saint Teresa of Calcutta was helping distribute Holy Communion. As my hands were extended to receive, she gave them a firm – though not gentle – tap, then lightly touched my cheek, signaling that Our Lord was to be received on the tongue rather than the hand.
At the time, no second thought was given to it. It was only a few weeks ago, after making the personal decision to receive Holy Communion on my tongue, that the quiet, wordless lesson that little nun was teaching finally became clear.
The Novice Eucharistic Minister
To serve as a Eucharistic Minister (EM) requires training – a brief tutorial on positioning, words, and how to properly distribute. I thought it would be simple. I was wrong.
The first time I stood at the altar, I felt inadequate. Every eye seemed to be fixed on me, scrutinizing my every movement. As a communicant approached with mouth opened and tongue extended, fear gripped me. What if I touch her tongue? What if the Host fell short of her mouth? My anxiety proved prophetic; during my first week, I dropped a consecrated wafer and it fell on the floor.
Thank the good Lord, the lady picked it up immediately and consumed it herself. I was mortified! Our training had taught us to handle the dropped Host with reverence, but in that moment I froze. When it happened again, I quickly retrieved the Host, held it carefully in my hand, and after distributing to the remaining communicants, brought it to the priest and explained. He took it reverently and consumed it.
The Lesson
I learned a powerful lesson: the reverence belongs to the Lord.
Sacred Responsibility
Six years later I continue to serving as a Eucharistic Minister. With each week, confidence has grown – not in my technique, but in the sacred responsibility itself.
Our parish serves both the parish community and an attached Catholic school, so I minister multiple times weekly, often to our young students. What began as a fear has become a privilege.
Not Again
Several years ago, while distributing Communion to a student, I noticed a small particle of the Host fall to the floor. My heart began to race – not from embarrassment but from the weight of what had happened.
I couldn’t simply pick it up because the altar was surrounded by people, and I didn’t want to disturb their communion with Christ. But my mind was crazed with worry. What if someone stepped on it? What if I lost it entirely? My eyes remained fixed on that spot for the next several minutes. I was a wreck!
After Mass, as I was still watching that area, Alan, one of the sacristans, approached me and asked what I was looking for. I explained that I’d seen a particle fall during distribution. Together we searched the floor. I found something small and, in a moment of reverence – or perhaps because I was looking too hard – placed it in my mouth, genuflected, and walked away.
Something was immediately wrong.
Whatever I placed in my mouth did not dissolve like the Eucharist. It had a grainy, almost fibrous texture – like a fingernail or toenail. As I exited the church my stomach churned. Gagging, I placed the object in my pocket to investigate it further.
At home the horrible truth became clear: it was indeed someone’s discarded toenail!
Transubstantiation
Transubstantiation is the Catholic core belief that the bread and wine used for Communion become the Body and Blood of Christ. That’s why I experienced such joy when receiving Communion at St. John Eudes. It was the Body and Blood of Christ!
In a recent Pew survey, it was discovered that 69% of Catholics do not understand nor believe the holy concept of transubstantiation. These Catholics are under the fallacy that the Body and Blood of Christ is merely a symbol. I am happy to report that I am one of the 31 % who believe in transubstantiation.
The Reverence
After experiencing the mishaps, I investigated the proper protocol for when one accidentally drops the Eucharist, so I could be better prepared. According to the General Instruction of the Roman Missal #280:
Priest and Eucharistic ministers must be extremely alert during the distribution of the Holy Communion, ensuring that the recipient consumes the sacred Host immediately and retrieving it if an accident occurs.
When receiving Holy Communion, a recipient must extend his or her tongue sufficiently so that the sacred Host may be placed securely on it, or make a proper cup with his or her hands to receive it securely. The recipient should then step aside while still facing the altar and consume the sacred Host before returning to the pew. I always practice this, even before realizing it was part of the official rules.
If the sacred Host falls to the floor, or even a piece of it, it should be retrieved and given to the priest at an appropriate time – such as the end of communion when the priest is preparing to purify the vessel. The Eucharistic minister can also consume the Host if it has fallen on the floor.
What I found particularly interesting is this: if the Host that has fallen on the floor is too soiled to consume, it should be placed in water until it dissolves. The water is then discarded into a special drain that does not feed into the sewer system, but rather disperses into the ground.
My Prayer
Dear Lord, continue to shed light on our crazy world. May Your Holy Spirit open the hearts of those who do not understand that it is truly Your Body in the Eucharist. May we fall on our knees in reverence to Your Holy Presence. Amen.
