Its so interesting how things are different in different countries, even different parishes. Its funny, but I prefer receiving in my hand for very similar reasons to yours. But, mine came about differently. I am a cradle Catholic. When I was little, no one was allowed to touch the host except the priest. I was about 12 when the Vatican II changes to the Mass occurred here in the US. However, the indult to receive in the hand did not occur until much later. I learned that the changes occurred in order to bring the people much closer to our Lord. The priest was our mediator, but we all should participate in the Liturgy as the Body of Christ. With the priest now facing us we could see and be part of the Liturgy, as opposed to the priest doing everything on our behalf without our participation. It becomes our offering too now.

I remember when it was announced that we could receive in the hand. I was about 22 years old then and it was the best news I’d heard. I was overjoyed. I could touch our Lord! It made receiving Communion so much more meaningful for me. I was in intimate contact with our Lord. I was \good enough\ to touch Him and He wanted to touch me. This holds until this day and even though many, many people in the parish I attend prefer to receive on the tongue, I receive in the hand and will do so as long as the Church allows. Very different experiences with very much the same feelings. This makes me see why the Church allows both and why God inspired the Church fathers to allow both ways of receiving.

One of the aspects I prefer on the hands is hygiene and that is also one of the reasons why it changed. Each time a Eucharistic Minister gives Jesus on someone’s tongue, s/he touches that persons mouth and lots of times gets in contact with saliva. Then s/he passes it to the next person via the next Eucharistic that s/he takes or touching the other’s person mouth. I was a Eucharistic Minister in Peru for a couple of years and your hands can get… You understand.

Another reason I prefer to receive Jesus on my hands is the fact of the 1st Holy Supper on Holy Thursday. Jesus said: “Take and eat…”, “Take and drink…” He did not put the Eucharistic in their mouths, but passed it around after consecrating it.

When I approach the priest or a Eucharistic Minister, I bend my head slightly with all of my reverence to God, while I prepare my hands as a throne, all with lots of love. My “Amen” is firm and I am not shy to say it out loud. He is my Lord and I know He is present and alive in the Eucharist!

If we had communion rails, I would receive Him kneeling, but in my hands. I do miss our communion rails on each bench, be it for the moment of consecration as for personal time of prayer before/after mass or after receiving Him in the Eucharist. They don’t have the communion rails on each bench anymore here in Belgium. I know they do have them in all German Catholic churches. How is it in The Netherlands?

Again, thanks for sharing.