A reader asks: In your previous column, you mentioned “intinction.” I’ve never heard of that. Can you explain it? – P.B.
Dear P.B.: Intinction is a way of distributing both of the consecrated species, the Body and Blood of Christ, simultaneously. The priest takes a consecrated Host and immerses it into a chalice containing the Precious Blood and then immediately places it on the tongue of the recipient. This form of Holy Communion precludes the possibility of receiving in the hand.
Only a priest or a deacon (and, of course, a bishop) may distribute Holy Communion by intinction. These men are the ordinary ministers of Holy Communion. Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion may not distribute it under the form of intinction.
There are several reasons why a pastor might wish to offer the possibility of Holy Communion by intinction. First, the fuller sign of a banquet takes place when both species of Holy Communion are received. Note that a fuller sign does not mean that Holy Communion is in any way deficient when only one species is received. The fuller sign refers to the Eucharistic banquet.
Second, the fuller sign refers to the unity in the Church: Each one forms a whole by eating and drinking the same food. When our beloved prepares a special meal for us, there is a particular kind of union that takes place by eating and drinking together of the one meal.
Banquets include both food and drink. Our Lord provides us with the food – His Body – and the drink – His Blood. While we often do not have the opportunity to receive both at every Mass, we always have the fullness of the Eucharist even if we do not have the fullness of the sign of a banquet.
There are many reasons for the Eucharist to be distributed under only one species, namely the consecrated Host. First and foremost are the practical problems when many communicants are present. At the pope’s Masses, for instance, often tens of thousands attend.
Gauging the amount of wine needed for consecration is difficult. If too little is consecrated, many will not receive both species. If too much is consecrated, dealing with the excess is problematic (it is prohibited to keep the Blood in the tabernacle).
Also, when large crowds are present, jostling can occur leading to spilling of the Blood, a profanation of the worst kind. This can happen even in small groups. It always amazes me to see how nonchalantly some people take the chalice of our Lord’s Blood, as if it were of no more importance than a wine tasting party.
Finally, when, for legitimate reasons, many people prefer not to receive from the chalice, the sign of unity is lessened. This does not mean ill will exists on anyone’s part. But it is not a sign of the full unity of God’s people.
The beauty of intinction is that it allows for the fullness of the sign of a banquet and greatly reduces the possibility of profanation. However, it does not work well for large crowds. First, the difficulty of estimating the necessary amount of wine to consecrate still exists. Also, because only priests and deacons may distribute by intinction, such distribution would take much time unless a small army of priests and deacons was present.
While intinction is not itself the best sign of “drinking” the Blood of Christ, it at least offers the possibility of participating in both species of the Eucharist as a meal.
Finally, speaking so much about the Eucharist as a meal, while important, we should not forget that we are also consuming the sacrifice that Christ offered. The Eucharist is both meal and sacrifice. Whether we receive one species or both, Holy Communion is the time to unite ourselves, body and soul, to Jesus, Who initiates this intimate union.
May we be more deeply conscious of the Guest of our souls as we return to our pews with the utmost reverence. May we spend some minutes devoutly thanking God for coming to us and uniting us with Himself. We derive the greatest graces during this time of thanksgiving to the consecrated Host of this sacred banquet.
Here’s a gem of a prayer to use from St. Thomas Aquinas: O God, in this wonderful sacrament you have left us a memorial of your passion. Help us, we beg you, so to reverence the sacred mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may constantly feel within our lives the effects of your redemption. Amen.
