>>Of course this is irrelevant. <<
God gave me a brain. I use it. Christ is complete in the host. He isn’t splintered. No need to take a risk of infection.
>>Is it possible that during his earthly life when he healed lepers one could have ever believed that the next person he touched would be infected by cross-contamination? <<
I’m not really sure “one” knew about germs in Christ’s time. Perhaps Christ washed his hands. The Priest does.
Once I was at Mass, and there was a friar in sandals picking his toes during Mass. I was not getting in his communion line.
God gave me a brain. I use it. Christ is complete in the host. He isn’t splintered. No need to take a risk of infection.
I'm sorry, but I don't follow you here. What do you mean "isn't splintered" and what would it have to do with the suggestion that the Sacrament can be a disease vector? I fear I am missing your point on this.
I’m not really sure “one” knew about germs in Christ’s time. Perhaps Christ washed his hands. The Priest does.
I think you have misunderstood what I mean. What they knew doesn't really matter. And washing his hands means little as I doubt they had Dial soap or chlorhexadine. We are talking about a man who touched the sick constantly in his ministry of healing. Could the same germs which were destroyed throughout a person's body by his mere touch, or even word, then continue to live on his actual person? If so, then his Body and Blood can in fact be a disease vector. However, if we accept this idea we naturally have to follow up with the obvious question. How many people died because they touched Jesus some time after he was with lepers and the sick? Given the desire people had to touch him it is possible that for every person he healed he infected ten by contact during the day. This would mean that our Lord might actually have killed thousands more people than he cured. Interesting concept, but I don't buy it. In my opinion the Sacrament is Christ, and Christ was not and cannot be a disease vector. He cured, and did not cause disease.
And, as to the priest washing his hands I fear you are overstating things. Pouring tepid water over your fingers is not really washing. This merely results in having wet germs. I would hate to ever be in a hospital which uses this form of hand washing before treating patients. Nosocomial infections would be through the roof.