PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH HIS HEART

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"Dear Kuya Jeff, I've been meaning to ask what I should do if the Host accidentally falls to the floor while I'm receiving Communion. Should I pick it up myself, or should I let the priest handle it? I try to live a Eucharistic life by going to confession monthly, receiving Communion weekly, and visiting the Blessed Sacrament regularly. Knowing how to handle situations like this would help me show my respect for Jesus in the Eucharist, so I'd really appreciate your advice. Thanks a lot, and God bless you and your family!" - August M. ​

1. In his book "Treasure in Clay," published in 1982, Venerable Fulton Sheen shares a story about a young Catholic girl who became a martyr for the Holy Eucharist. Known as "Xiao Li," though her real name isn't confirmed, this tale is set during the communist takeover of China in a small village in Shanghai. A commander and his soldiers stormed into a priest's schoolhouse, stripping it of crucifixes, images, and statues. Xiao Li refused to join them. The commander then forced the villagers into the church to watch as he desecrated the Holy Eucharist, smashing the tabernacle and trampling the hosts. The priest mentioned there were around 31 consecrated hosts left in the ciborium. The parish priest, locked in a room, could only see from afar. That night, Xiao Li, who had just made her first communion two months earlier, sneaked into the church. She knelt in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament for an hour. Before the Vatican II Council, only the clergy could distribute Communion, and people were only allowed to receive it once a day (Canon 918). As a lay person, she took the consecrated hosts from the ground directly onto her tongue. She continued this act of reverence every night for thirty-one nights. On the final night, as she was about to consume the last remaining host, a guard shot her. Despite her injuries, Xiao Li crawled to the Eucharist and consumed it as her Viaticum. Xiao Li's unwavering devotion and sacrifice, performed in secret and under threat, highlight the deep respect and reverence that should be given to the Eucharist. Her actions remind us of the profound respect and honor we owe to the Blessed Sacrament, emphasizing the importance of protecting and reverencing the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

2. In Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Charity), Pope Benedict XVI explains that in the Eucharist, bread and wine become a sign of love. He says that Jesus doesn't just give us a "thing" but gives us Himself—His body and blood—offering His whole life and showing us the deepest source of His love (SC 7). In John 6:32-33, after feeding the crowds with loaves and fishes, Jesus tells those who followed Him to the synagogue in Capernaum, "My Father gives you the true bread from heaven; the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." He then identifies Himself as that bread in John 6:51, saying, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven." Because of this, we need to protect the Holy Eucharist, be respectful, and truly understand Christ's presence in the Blessed Sacrament. In 1 Peter 1:18-20, the prince of the apostles taught that Jesus himself is the true sacrificial lamb, destined in the Father's plan from the foundation of the world: "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that united in His one Divine Person is really, truly, and substantially present in the visible matter of bread and wine.

3. Should a consecrated host fall to the ground, the GIRM directs the priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion that it must be promptly retrieved and either consumed by the minister or placed on the corporal on the altar for the priest to address appropriately: "If a host or any particle should fall, it is to be picked up reverently. If any of the Precious Blood is spilled, the area where the spill occurred should be washed with water, and this water should then be poured into the sacrarium in the sacristy (GIRM 280)."

4. According to established practice, the priest elevates the host slightly and presents it to the communicant, saying, "The Body of Christ." The communicant responds with "Amen" and receives the Sacrament either on the tongue or, where permitted, in the hand, at the communicant's discretion. Upon receiving the host, the communicant is expected to consume it immediately. In the Updated Protocols for Liturgical Celebrations issued by the Archdiocese of Manila on August 10, 2023, Cardinal Advincula emphasized that self-communication by the faithful is strictly prohibited: "The faithful are not permitted to take the consecrated bread or the sacred chalice on their own, nor should they pass them among themselves." Accordingly, if a host falls to the ground during distribution, instructions above must be followed.

5. Putting it altogether, if the Sacred Host or a fragment accidentally falls to the floor despite the utmost care from the priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, it is crucial to handle the situation with reverence. Hosts may adhere to each other due to humidity or fall due to a gust of wind, which can be distressing for both the distributor and the communicant. In such instances, the priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister should promptly retrieve the Host and ensure that no visible particles remain on the floor. The Host should then be consumed by the priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister or placed in clear water to dissolve. Once the appearance of bread is no longer visible, the water should be poured into a sacrarium, a special sink that drains directly into the ground, rather than a common sink. If a sacrarium is not available, the liquid should be poured onto the ground in a discreet location, such as behind a flower bed or at the base of a statue. If the recipient who dropped the Host immediately picks it up and consumes it, the priest, deacon, or extraordinary minister should still verify that no particles remain and clean the area with water, ensuring that the cloth used is subsequently washed with the purificators. This careful attention ensures that no part of the Body of Christ is lost or desecrated.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1377) teaches that "The presence of Christ endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist." This means that the real presence of Jesus continues as long as the outward forms of bread and wine are observable, including the smallest particles or crumbs. When these appearances are no longer present, whether due to consumption or deterioration of the consecrated elements, the presence of Christ ceases. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to safeguard our Lord, who loves us deeply and chose to remain in the Eucharistic Host in a humble and vulnerable form to be with us until the end of time.