The Mass and the reception of the Eucharist are the centerpiece of the Christian life, so we need to take them seriously!
Unfortunately, whether it’s out of ignorance or laziness, it seems many Catholics do not receive the Eucharist correctly.
Here are three mistakes many Catholics make when receiving the Eucharist:1) Not bowing before receiving the Eucharist.
Many Catholics move through the Communion line and receive the Eucharist with little or no outward sign of reverence. Yet in this sacrament, we are receiving Jesus Himself—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity—so a visible sign of adoration and love is not just fitting, it’s deeply important and necessary.
Some may not even realize that a specific gesture of reverence is expected before receiving Holy Communion. Yet, the USCCB clearly explains this requirement in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. It provides concrete norms for how we are to approach the Eucharist:
“When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence… [T]he sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood.” (GIRM 160)
Though the norm in the United States is to receive while standing (after bowing your head), individuals can also receive while kneeling if they so choose.
