Do We ‘Receive’ the Eucharist or ‘Take’ It?

The Eucharistic institution narratives in the New Testament record that Christ directed his disciples to “take” his body and the cup of his blood (cf. Matt. 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-23). Using the word take in reference to Communion is not wrong. Even so, traditional Catholic piety has encouraged use of the word receive to emphasize that Communion is a gift from Christ to the individual Catholic. Both terms are correct.