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Posted by Arwen Mosher in Faith on Tuesday, April 26, 2011 10:30 PM
Our parish does First Communion on Easter. In his homily Sunday morning our pastor talked about why they do this: because they want to form a connection in the children’s minds and hearts between the Resurrection and the Eucharist.
He told a story of a little boy in the first communion class a few years ago who bounded up to him before Mass and shouted, “Father, Father! I can’t believe I get to receive Jesus on the day he rose from the dead!”
There are myriad complex reasons why we adults don’t sustain that kind of enthusiasm on a regular basis. Life is hard, after all.
But maybe, Father suggested, there’s also a simple reason we don’t: we forget what the Resurrection and the Eucharist really mean.
I know I do.
Thankfully, our Lord loves us so much that he gives us constant reminders: regular opportunities to receive Him in the Eucharist, and an entire season during which to remember that we are an Easter people, recipients of the free gift of his unending joy.
It’s too big to comprehend, really, but this season is our best chance to try.
Allelluia! He is risen!
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That’s a really nice tradition. However, when I think of how packed our church was on Easter (Cry room was filled, back was filled, people were standing up each side of the church), I can’t imagine complicating it with an event like First Communion. However, I realize this might not be as much of an issue in smaller parishes (mine is huge).
My husband received on Holy Thursday years ago. I often wonder if this doesn’t, for lack of a better word, take away from our focus on the Triduum/ Resurrection. Is the focus transferred to the children instead? Just a thought. I’m not sure whether it does or doesn’t….something to ponder. Of course any day a child receives Our Lord for the first time is a great day.
Hey, Arwen: Thanks for sharing that. I am pretty old-school myself…First Communion on a day dedicated to all the children receiving and in May…beautiful. However, this year we made an exception with our daughter. Because my father had a medical emergency, we packed up and went from MN to TX, got permission from our priest to have her receive her First Holy Communion wherever my dad might be (hospital at home on hospice care), and carefully carried her dress and veil all the way down. We finally got everything ready and she received on Easter Sunday morning in my hometown parish with several of my childhood friends and all of our family, including my father. It was a beautiful exception. Our daughter was ok with receiving her First Communion without the rest of her class on a day dedicated just to her beautiful reception of the Sacrament. It was a little miracle for our family!:)
I like the idea of tying First Communion to the Resurrection though our parish doesn’t. I had a dear friend come into the Church at Easter Vigil this year, I came into the Church at Easter Vigil, so I don’t really see that it’s a huge problem for children to receive Easter morning.
Our parish are celebrating First Communion this year on May 1st, which is also the day that John Paul II will be beatified, so that is very special.
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