A Joyful Celebration of First Holy Communion
This weekend, our parish family celebrates a beautiful and sacred moment: our children receive First Holy Communion. With joyful hearts, we welcome them to the table of the Lord for the very first time. Their excitement, reverence, and wonder are a gift to all of us. They remind us of something we can easily forget that the Eucharist is not ordinary. It is extraordinary. It is everything.
As Catholics, we believe that the Eucharist is truly the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ. This is not a symbol. This is not a reminder. This is Jesus Himself, given to us in love. At every Mass, heaven touches earth. The same Jesus who walked the roads of Galilee, who died on the Cross, and who rose from the dead comes to us personally, intimately in Holy Communion.
What an incredible gift. And what a responsibility.
Our First Communicants have been carefully prepared for this moment. They have learned how to receive with reverence, how to recognize Jesus present in the Eucharist, and how to open their hearts to Him. But today, they also become witnesses to us.
Their faith invites each of us to reflect:
- Do I approach the Eucharist with that same wonder?
- That same gratitude?
- That same love?
To our parents and families: thank you. You are the first teachers of the faith. The seeds planted in your children’s hearts are nurtured most powerfully at home especially through your commitment to Sunday Mass. In a world that pulls us in every direction, choosing to keep the Lord’s Day holy is a quiet but powerful act of love. It says: God comes first. And that witness speaks louder than anything we could ever say.
To our entire parish family: let us never take this gift for granted. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives as Catholics. It is where we are fed, strengthened, and sent. Every time we come forward to receive, we are invited into deeper communion with Christ and with one another.
This weekend, our children will also crown the Blessed Mother, honoring her with love and devotion. This is no coincidence. Mary always leads us to her Son. She carried Jesus within her. She offered Him to the world. And she continues to draw us closer to Him, especially in the Eucharist.
May our First Communicants inspire us. May their joy renew us. And may we, like Mary, always lead others to Jesus truly present in the Most Holy Eucharist.
Your Servant in Christ,
Father Jason C. Hage, Pastor
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us!
Our Lady of the Rosary, pray for us!
Mary, Mother of Our Savior, pray for us!