This year I became a Eucharistic Minister of Holy Communion (EMHC) at Franciscan University. I’d been waiting very impatiently to stand as His servant. Finally, I got trained last fall, and this ministry has taught me things I didn’t know it would. Here are some unknown facts about EMHCing.
1. You get to touch a lot of tongues.
As a Eucharistic Minister, many people receive the Lord’s Body on their tongue. If you’ve never seen this before, the minister holds the Body of Christ out to the receiving person, they open their mouth (sometimes very wide, sometimes not wide enough) and receive the Lord in a beautiful and humble way. It is certain that at times in this ministry, your fingers will brush someone’s tongue. I think it’s a healthy reminder that we are servants to our neighbors and that Communion is about Jesus, not our fingers getting slobbery. Also, once I shocked a nun’s tongue with my finger, so remember that the love of Christ is electric.
2. You meet a lot of people.
You may never learn their names or talk to them outside of “The Body/Blood of Christ,” but you get to know them by their faces and their disposition. I ministered at school all year and got to know a lot of people just by seeing them a few times a week in the true meaning of ‘Communion’ by being a part of their mass. I’m proud to say that I have the privilege to serve my friends and family by serving them the Lord.
3. The Accidents of the Eucharist are very real.
The Accidents are the parts of the Eucharist which seem to not make sense to us. Why does the Body of Christ taste and look like bread? Why is it crunchy? Why does His blood taste like alcohol, the fruit of the vine? The Substance of the Eucharist is undeniably the Body and Blood of Christ, but the Accidents of the Eucharist still occur, so that we can better understand and accept it. Last Sunday, I had to consume the remaining Precious Blood from the chalice after communion, and I have never held such a full cup. I could definitely feel the Accidents as we cleaned up.
4. No matter how many mistakes I make, it’s all about Him.
I’ve tripped, spilled, forgotten to go to the altar, gotten tongue tied, and shocked a nun’s tongue. Mistakes happen and it’s a part of being who we are and trying our best anyway. I’ve only been doing this a year and it’s amazing how many times I have done it wrong. Eventually, you’ve gone through every scenario so many times that you know how to deal with it all. In the end, if we are trying to point it all back to Him, we are doing our job.
5. Holding the Body or Blood of Christ transforms you.
The most profound part of Eucharistic Ministering is that holding the body of Jesus allows you to see through His eyes. After the first few times I ministered, I got over the fear of dropping the Lord or being clumsy. I started to realize that something beautiful was happening during Communion. I am ten times happier when I am holding Jesus than when I am not. I can feel joy tugging my lips into a smile and my eyes into happy crinkles. Not only this, but when I look at the man or woman in front of me, I love them so much. I know this sounds silly, but I feel giddy with love when I hold the body of Christ. I can tell the Holy Spirit is moving and helping me feel the love the Lord has for every one of us…boundless. We will never truly understand the capacity of His heart, but I know that being in that position, with Jesus’ heart and eyes as my own, sways me every time.
I will never tire of being an EMHC, and hopefully everyone can forgive my goofs on the altar. Remember that the Lord is always patiently waiting for you in the Eucharist, and that just as Thomas said, “My Lord and my God,” when we recognize His presence, our hearts and minds are lifted up.
