“Congratulations on making your First Communion!” our pastor announced to the almost 100 elementary-aged kids at our parish on a recent Saturday morning. “Now when will your second Communion be?”
“Tomorrow!” They all cheered in unison, loud enough for the back pews to hear.
“That’s right!” our pastor affirmed. “Parents, be sure to bring your kids to Mass tomorrow and every Sunday after!”
Having shepherded and formed our kids to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist, it was a beautiful liturgy with friends and family to cheer on our children. But with all the logistical stress and pomp of the day, it sure can feel like a kind of “graduation” ceremony, one that we participate in once and then move on with our lives.
But the our reception of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is not meant to be a one-and-done event! Being the very Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ, the Eucharist is “the source and summit of our faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1324). The Mass is offered by priests around the world, every day, every hour, of the year. In my travels internationally, I’ve been able to witness the beauty of our faith centered around the Lord’s Supper from Australia to the Americas, and everywhere in between. Now, as a parent, it’s my job to instill an understanding and love for Jesus in this holy sacrament. Not an easy task, especially with little ones who are still squirrelly!
Our life in the Sacraments is ultimately about a relationship with Jesus—not a graduation from the Catholic faith or yet another hoop to jump through. I don’t tell my husband “I love you” once and say, “Well, that’s enough! See you at Christmas and Easter.” That kind of relationship would fall apart! A relationship requires that we nurture it and it's our job as parents, the primary educators of our children, to show them what discipleship looks like, day in and day out, long after the ceremonious day of their First Communion.
Consider some of the ways I’ve found help to refocus our family on the Eucharist:
Talk About the Mass
Talk to your kids about how you yourself can get bored or distracted during the Mass, and how it’s important to be attentive to what’s going on during the Liturgy. Talk to your kids about the different parts of the Mass, such as the Psalms, the Liturgies of the Word and the Eucharist, etc. If we don’t understand what’s happening and why it’s important, we naturally tune out.
Teach After Communion Prayers
We’ve taught our children little prayers after communion. A simple “thank you, Jesus” is enough to bring our hearts back to the present moment of Who we have received. Or a modified version of Padre Pio’s After Communion Prayer, simply repeating the words, “Stay with me, Lord.” Ask your kids what prayer they feel most speaks to their hearts and remind them to pray that as you return to your pew.
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Read the Readings
We can read Scripture with them before or after the Mass. In hearing the readings multiple times, the Word of God has a chance to “soak in” and our kids get excited when they “know the story” being told. Our daughters love this graphic novel version of the Bible and have devoured its comic book imagery, cover-to-cover.
Model a Love of the Eucharist
We also need to look to our example as parents. Do we make time for Jesus? Do our kids see that? My husband and I were blessed to be a part of Ascension’s newest sacramental program Renewed and Received, which is a whole-family model of preparing young people for their First Reconciliation and Communion. In the accompanying leader videos designed for catechists and parents, we note that “monkey see, monkey do”—do our kids see us taking time out of the week to stop and pray, visit a local adoration chapel, or make time for a Daily Mass? That kind of parental witness has been what has moved the hearts of young men and women who became great saints of our Church: Saint Pope John Paul II, Saint Therese, and Venerable Fulton J. Sheen. If we don’t walk the walk and make time for God, how can we expect our children to?
Kids (generally) don’t become saints after one reception of Communion. It’s a journey of deepening our intellects and surrendering our heart to God, a project that can take a lifetime! Thankfully, God is merciful and patient (especially on our efforts as tired parents), and he’s pouring out all the graces for us to receive through His Church’s Sacraments. We need only ask!
Jackie Angel is a full-time traveling speaker, singer/songwriter, and worship leader from Orange County, CA. In 2006, she became an artist with Oregon Catholic Press, with whom she has released two albums. Her husband Bobby Angel is a native Floridian who worked for eight years as a campus minister and teacher at an all-boys school. Jackie and Bobby have spoken and written on Catholic marriage, discernment, and Theology of the Body. The pair are regular video contributors on Ascension Presents, including in the new programs Renewed: Your Journey to First Reconciliation and Received: Your Journey to First Communion. They currently live in Dallas, Texas with their four children.
Featured Image Credit: Ascension Renewed and Received program
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