Myths About Proper Behavior at the Eucharist

If you drop the host, the devil gets inside it.

Truth: the devil wouldn’t survive a second inside a consecrated host.
If you take communion more than once a day, that’s a problem.

Truth: Jesus never skimped on food.
If you chew the wafer, you are hurting Jesus.

Truth: nobody can hurt Jesus anymore. Bread doesn’t have nerve endings anyway.
If you touch the chalice with anything but your lips, you’ll go to hell.

Truth: If you don’t take the chalice in both hands and guide it yourself, you are likely to get either no wine, or wine spilling down your front. Take responsibility: take the chalice.
If your child takes the wafer back to the pews with him/her, that’s a problem.

Truth: we trust the parents will make sure the wafer is not stuck up a nose.
The best way to prevent the spread of disease is to dip the bread into the wine.

Truth: lots of germs are spread by people’s icky fingers dipping into the wine with the bread.
If a child squirms or fidgets during the Eucharistic Prayer, the sacrament is invalid.

Truth: the validity of the sacrament does not depend on anyone’s state of mind.
If you don’t say the Confession of Sin you can’t take Communion.

Truth: do you think Jesus would withhold food for any reason?
If you aren’t baptized, you can’t take Communion.

Truth: At Church of the Incarnation, everyone is welcome at God’s table.
If you don’t follow the rules, you’ll get in trouble and probably go to hell.

Truth: just try to tell that to Jesus!

At Incarnation, we try to balance:
Reverence with a light touch; piety with a sense of humor; consistency with age-appropriateness.

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A Parochial Mission of Church of the Incarnation serving the Russian River Community.