Keeping the Faith

First Communion is the beginning of a wonderful relationship with Christ. Carol Bannon reflects on what we need to make sure our children understand.

"Come to me ... and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) 

This is my favorite Bible quote. In fact, when I taught fourth grade at Bishop Kelley School, I placed it above the front blackboard in my classroom, referencing it throughout the year. It was important my students knew God was calling each and every one of them personally.  

Years earlier, I’d had a teacher who did the same. Sr. Veronica (IHM) always ended Friday classes with an admonishment to never keep Jesus waiting! “He is waiting for each one of you at the altar, in the Eucharist. Be sure your family gets to Mass!” 

Soon many of our youngsters will receive their first Communion, my own granddaughter included. Granted, it won’t look like it did for me. Back in the good ol’ days, two-second grade classes and their families filled every pew in the church. I still remember feeling so special—holy, even. Walking reverently down the aisle, I knew Jesus was waiting for me to come to Him!  

Twenty years later I had no hesitation in volunteering to be my own children’s catechism teacher. I have never lost the feeling of walking towards Jesus in the Eucharist, freely come towards Him and raising my face to Him. I wanted my children to know, to feel, and to grasp the significance of this Sacrament.  

I taught them Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist. Jesus Himself will be laid in their hands, or on their tongue. And once they accept Jesus into their body, He changes their spirit and souls forever. Jesus helps them to listen and see with their hearts. Jesus fills them with a deep love for His Father, God Almighty. 

More importantly, once they receive Him in the Eucharist Jesus is with them and won’t let them go. They will always know Jesus welcomes them no matter what. He will not desert them. 

“I have not lost any of those you gave me.” (John 18:9b) 

Today, the bulk of First Communion preparation falls on moms and dads. And sadly, according to my bishop, fewer than 40% of adult Catholics believe Christ is present in the Eucharist. If they are the ones preparing their children for this sacrament, we have a huge hurdle to overcome.  

How can we, as Catholic parents and grandparents, keep this basic tenet of our faith alive? We do not have the luxury of having others do the teaching for us; we need to stem the flow of Catholics deserting Christ in the Eucharist. 

We need to teach our children their First Communion is just the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship with Christ. Communion is not a once-and-done event. Jesus is waiting for us all in the breaking of the bread. We can never stop coming to Christ in the Eucharist. 

This past week, my granddaughter was visiting. She was rattling on about how gorgeous her dress is, and how her mom is going to take her to the salon to get a mani/pedi for first Communion, but first she needs to choose a veil. Letting the teacher in me out, I held up my hand and asked, “Why are you receiving your First Communion?”  

She stopped, looked at me with a face that read “are you messing with me?” and answered, “Because I want to Jesus inside me, Gramma, not just looking up at Him on a cross.” 

My daughter was listening, so she pressed her daughter and asked her how Jesus gets inside you. “Before He died Jesus was having dinner with his Apostles. He took His bread, made it holy, then told them, ‘This is My body’. Father Mike can bless bread too, and on my first Communion day he will give the holy bread to me. This holy bread is Jesus, so I am holding Jesus. Right, Mom?” 

She has a basic understanding of the most central tenet of our faith: the Eucharist is Christ. All the children making First Communion are filled with such promise. God tells us to “let the children come to me” and they do—with so much faith and love for Jesus.  

We cannot let them lose this. 

I told my daughter later how proud I was of how she has been teaching her daughter. She remembered me always saying God is waiting for each one of us, how He lets us come to Him no matter what. When she walked down the aisle to receive HER first Communion she felt as if she were walking toward Heaven.  

And now her daughter knows how to walk toward Heaven too … through coming to Christ in the Eucharist.  

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Copyright 2024 Carol Sbordon Bannon
Images: Canva