Audience: My question, Bishop, is when our Lord, on that first Holy Thursday, that Passover meal, handed his body to each apostle, why? That was reverent. Why would it not be reverent to receive in the hand?
Bishop Schneider: Okay, good question. First, it is not proven that Our Lord gave the consecrated bread in the hand. There is no proof.
Father Mitch Pacwa: In fact, the text is silent on that issue. Therefore, in the mouth or in the hand, it is not proven.
Bishop Schneider: Therefore, we cannot use this argument. The second important distinction is that these were priests of the New Testament covenant. They were all priests, the apostles. The lay people are not priests in this manner. Therefore, it was always, and the Lord said, Take and eat it. The translation “take” is not correct because the Greek says labete. Labete in Greek does not mean take or touch with the hand, but receive. The Lord also used the same word, labete, when he said, Receive the Holy Ghost. We cannot touch the Holy Ghost with the hand. Holy Communion is not an event of touching something. Holy Communion is not receiving something materially but is a deeply spiritual event. You receive love, firstly, in your soul. This is a high spiritual event. Therefore, take it does not mean touch it. It would be better translated, as in the Slavonic languages and in our missal in Russia, as receive it and eat it. Receive. Now we have to make these distinctions.