The Sacrament of First Holy Communion

Pauline Books & Media
May 21
6 min read

"It's important for children to properly prepare for their First Communion, so that there's no child without this Sacrament. The Eucharist is a firm step towards Jesus, along with Baptism and Confirmation.”

POPE FRANCIS

"Dear boys and girls, now you are about to receive Jesus. There is no need to be distracted, thinking of other things. Think only of Jesus. Come to the altar to receive Jesus in silence. Be silent in your heart and consider that this is the first time that Jesus comes to you. Later, he will come many other times. Think of your parents, catechists, grandparents and friends. If you have quarrelled with someone, forgive him or her from your heart before coming forward. In silence, let us draw near to Jesus."

"I hope that today is the beginning of many Communions, so that your hearts are always like they are today: celebrating, full of joy, and above all, full of gratitude."

"Remember, as I said, that this is the sacrament of your First Communion, not of your Last. Remember that Jesus is always waiting for you."

Pope Francis , Bulgaria

6 May 2019

INSTITUTION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured put for you is the new covenant in my blood."

Luke 22: 14-20

Children must receive the sacrament of penance before they receive their first communion, according to a letter sent to the world's bishops by the Vatican Congregations for the Sacraments and Divine Worship and for the Clergy.

Vatican, 1977

Excerpts from Catechism of the Catholic Church

THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST

V. The Sacramental Sacrifice Thanksgiving, Memorial, Presence

1380 It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way. Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end,"207 even to the giving of his life. In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us,208 and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love:

The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease.209

1381 "That in this sacrament are the true Body of Christ and his true Blood is something that 'cannot be apprehended by the senses,' says St. Thomas, 'but only by faith, which relies on divine authority.' For this reason, in a commentary on Luke 22:19 ('This is my body which is given for you.'), St. Cyril says: 'Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Savior in faith, for since he is the truth, he cannot lie.'"210

VI. The Paschal Banquet

1384 The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist: "Truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."215

1385 To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. St. Paul urges us to examine our conscience: "Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself."216 Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion.

"The Eucharist is such a great gift. That's why going to Mass is so important. Going to Mass not just to pray, but to receive Communion, the Bread and Body of Christ. It saves us, forgives us and it makes us one with the Father. How beautiful!” The word 'Eucharist' stems from Greek, and it means thankfulness. The greatest gestures of all, is the Last Supper, where God's love and mercy come together."

Pope Francis

Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) and the Holy Eucharist

I think that many people to not fully understand the value of Mass, because if they recognised the enormous blessing we have in a Lord who gives himself as our food and drink in the Sacred Host, they would go to Mass every day to participate in the fruits of the sacrifice and let go of so many superfluous things!

The more Eucharist we receive, the more we will become like Jesus,

so that on earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.

By standing before the Eucharist Christ, we become holy.

Those who approach the Eucharist every day go straight to heaven.

The Eucharist is my highway to heaven.

Saints with a special devotion to the Holy Eucharist

St. Clare's faith in the Blessed Sacrament saved the town of Assisi from the advancing Saracens. As the invaders were approaching her convent, she took the ciborium and raised the Blessed Sacrament, facing the direction of the advancing Saracens. They ran away and never came back to Assisi.

St. Clare demonstrated her faith and unwavering trust in God, believing that Jesus is indeed present in the consecrated host and that, as God, He will watch over and protect his children.

Do we humbly bring our needs to Christ, believing he is present in the Holy Eucharist, trusting in him and remaining faithful to him?

St. Francisco, one of the Fatima visionaries, was devoted to "the hidden Jesus," or Jesus within the Holy Eucharist. Francisco was often found in church, when he should have been in school, consoling and comforting Jesus.

In order to be physically near Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Francisco's favorite spot to pray was beside the altar, as Sr. Lucia remembered in her memoirs. Francisco encourages us to seek Christ, to stay in His presence, and to comfort Him in the Eucharist by just being there with Him.

Do we make visits to the Blessed Sacrament, to spend time with Jesus and be in his presence?

“I remembered having heard that one obtains all the favors asked for on one’s First Communion Day. This thought consoled me immediately, and though I was only six years old at the time, I said to myself: ‘I will pray for my poor old man (someone she had tried to give alms to) on the day of my First Communion.”

About her First Holy Communion Day:-

“the most wonderful day of my life … that first kiss of Jesus in my heart — it was truly a kiss of love. I knew that I was loved and said, ‘I love you, and I give myself to you forever.”

“As if the absence of my mother could make me unhappy on the day of my First Communion!”

On the Holy Eucharist she wrote,

“It is not to remain in a golden ciborium that [Jesus] comes to us each day from Heaven,” she declared. “It’s to find another heaven, infinitely dearer to him than the first: the heaven of our soul, made to his image, the living temple of the adorable Trinity!”

To her older cousin, she wrote...

"Dear little sister, receive Communion often, very often. … Jesus hasn't placed this attraction in your soul for nothing! … It is impossible that a heart that rests only at the sight of the tabernacle offends Jesus to the point of not being able to receive him; what offends him and what wounds his heart is the lack of confidence!"

St. Thérèse gave us instructions on how to get ready for Holy Communion:

"I picture my soul as a piece of land and beg the Blessed Virgin to remove from it any rubbish that would prevent it from being free; then I ask her to set up a huge tent worthy of heaven, adorning it with her own jewelry; finally, I invite all the angels and saints to come and conduct a magnificent concert there. It seems to me that when Jesus descends into my heart, he is content to find himself so well received and I, too, am content."