Next Saturday, approximately two hundred children will experience a very special day in their lives.  It is the day on which they will be making their First Holy Communion (Eucharist) at Saint Brigid. Our Catechism states, “The Eucharist is the efficacious sign and sublime cause of that communion in the divine life and that unity of the People of God by which the Church is kept in being.  It is the culmination both of God’s action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship men offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit.” Our Catechism also teaches that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith.  When we receive the Lord in the Eucharist, it is an act of thanksgiving to God. It recalls the Lord’s Supper with his Apostles.  The Eucharist is essential to the communal dimension of our faith.  It is the nourishment that enables us to remain spiritually strong and healthy.

Pope Francis refers to the Eucharist as a gift.  He reminds us about how important the Eucharist is to our faith journey.  He stated, “The Eucharist is more than just a mere feast.  It’s a way to remember Jesus’ Passover, a mystery that’s central to our salvation.  But when we talk about ‘remembering’ that doesn’t mean that it’s just a memory.  It means that every time we celebrate this Sacrament we become part of the Mystery of His Passion, Death and Resurrection.  The Eucharist is the peak of God’s Salvation.”

As we reflect on these words of Our Holy Father, we can give thanks for all the teachers, parents, relatives, and friends of these children who have helped prepare them for First Holy Communion, and who assist them in their future growth in faith through their prayers and actions. The following is a prayer provided by “Catholic Online” for those who are preparing children for their First Holy Communion: