When we come forward to receive Holy Communion at the Eucharist, we are not lining up as isolated individuals, couples, families or groups to be nourished and sustained for our Christian lives. We come forward together as the Body of Christ to receive the Body of Christ. We receive the Body of Christ so that we may be more truly together the Body of Christ in the world. As St Augustine of Hippo reminded us, at the Eucharist we receive what we are, and we become what we receive: â??You reply â??Amenâ?? to that which you are, and by your reply you consent. For you hear â??the Body of Christâ?? and you reply â??Amenâ??. Be a member of the Body of Christ so that your â??Amenâ?? may be true.â??
One Bread One Body
The Communion procession expresses the humble patience of the poor moving forward to be fed, the alert expectancy of Godâ??s people sharing the Paschal meal in readiness for their journey, the joyful confidence of Godâ??s people on the march toward the Promised Land. In England and Wales it is through this action of walking solemnly in procession that the faithful make their sign of reverence in preparation for receiving Communion.
Celebrating the Mass
The Communion Procession is not simply about getting up out of oneâ??s seat, walking to the minister, receiving communion and walking back to oneâ??s seat and sitting down again. The procession is
* ï? a procession accompanied by song which is to express unity in spirit by means unity in song and to show joy of heart
* ï? a communal action and not simply a private, individual action
* ï? not merely action but action as prayer, a visible sign of reverence
The Church makes quite some demands of this procession. They are not always going to be easy for particular communities of the Church to fulfil. One common reason for this in England and Wales is that many of our church buildings were designed before the renewal of the Liturgy over the past 100 years. A good number of them were designed before the encouragement to frequent communion by Saint Pope Pius X, and their design did not envisage the whole congregation coming forward to receive Holy Communion. Still more were designed before the more recent encouragement to the ministering of Holy Communion under both kinds, and the additional number of ministers and communion stations that this will usually require.
Yet if the Communion Procession, and our reception of Holy Communion itself is to be carried out in a worthy fashion we need to overcome these common difficulties. We need to achieve a sense of order and rhythm in the procession, so that it can signify reverence and a communitarian corporate quality in what we do.
