First Holy Communion

Today is the culmination of my preparations for the past year: our parish children received the Lord in Holy Eucharist for the very first of many, many times. When I watched each one of those little faces, in awe and faith, take the Host, and then the Cup, my heart overflowed with the love of Christ. As ornery and sinful as we all are, even these little ones, our Lord has forgiven us and calls us to a closer union with Him and with each other.

For this is the meaning of the word “communion”, that we all, joined by our common Catholic faith in the Real Presence of our Lord and Savior in this Blessed Sacrament, become one with Him. We draw our spiritual strength from consuming His actual Body and Blood, as He instructed His disciples to do at the Last Supper. It is an inexplicable Mystery, not understood, but believed in blind faith. For only by becoming blind to the attractions of this material world, can we see in faith the infinite glories which our Lord has promised us.

How I love this faith and how I thank God that He has blessed me with it. For it is only through His grace that I am here, in Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Cicero, Indiana, becoming closer to my brothers and sisters, living and dead, in Christ as we partake of His Holy Communion.

Alleluia, He is Risen!

Now What?

I am trying to get everything in order before surgery Tuesday. We had our Rite of Invitation at the 8:00 Mass this morning for the children who will receive First Holy Communion next Sunday. I think I have it all in order. I ran into a small snafu when I couldn’t get any volunteers to host the reception after the liturgy next weekend. I waited too long before asking, but some of these details escape me. Fortunately, I was able to prevail upon one of my staff, Sara (also a parishioner) and her family to help. I can always count on Sara when I need someone to do a last-minute job ;>)

I am gonna have to see the dentist tomorrow. I noticed that one of my upper molars has felt a little “funny”, a little rough, for several weeks now. This evening while eating supper, it really started to ache and the tooth beside it was tender when I pushed on it. After I finished eating, I got a mirror and a penlight and did a little dental self-exam. Yikes! There is a HUGE crater in that tooth! What now? Did a filling fall out? Did I crack it and break off a piece of the tooth?! Oh no, that thing is so enormous, it looks like the tooth needs crowned, which means a probable root canal. This is just what I need right before surgery-NOT!!! Think positive, Doc, maybe it won’t be that bad…

First Communion Practice

Last night was the first practice for the second-grade in our parish religious education program (PRE) here at Sacred Heart. This is the first class that I have not personally taught. I had to downsize myself last year…too many projects, not enough Doc ;>)

I wondered how well this group would do since I didn’t know them well. In the past seven years that I have taught, I always knew who was shy, who was rowdy, who liked to read, who spoke in a nearly silent whisper, so I usually had a good idea of how to set the children up for the various roles in the First Communion liturgy. This time, I was a bit perplexed: how do I figure this one out?

And, of course, I had forgotten. I am not the one running the show! When I remembered that, I prayed to the Holy Spirit and everything fell into place. This always gives me a sense of relief and freedom. Although I still run around trying to remember all the details, I ask our Lord to help me do those things that really need to be done and leave the rest ;>)

The children were wonderful; a bit giggly and awkward, but nothing unusual. I was amazed at how well our practice went…although I don’t know why I was surprised. Everything God does turns to His Good, alleluia!