Holy Communion
Turtle has suddenly begun asking detailed questions about receiving Jesus at Mass. She wants to know what "the bread that is Jesus' body" tastes like and "does it really melt in your mouth?" She wants to know what Father says and what we say when we receive Him. We have talked about receiving in the hand versus on the tongue. She tells me confidently that on her birthday when she turns 7 she will wear her flower girl dress and walk up to get Holy Communion too.
I wish she didn't have to wait.
I was not yet 6 years old when I made my first Communion. It was at a school chapel and it was a private Mass said by my family's priest friend who had prepared me. I remember that I carried up the gifts and remember putting out my tongue at the altar rail to receive Jesus.
My siblings didn't all receive Jesus as early as 5 yrs, but my mother has always been of the private opinion that 2nd grade is too late to make one's 1st Communion. "They know it's Jesus" she says, "and that's all that's needed."
Of course, parish priests and CCD teachers like to wait till they are old enough to be extensively educated in various tenets and prayers of the faith, have made their first Confession and have an understanding of sin. Naturally, this is good and important.
But as a mother who knows her daughter, I think Turtle is ready. She knows the bread is Jesus' body. She knows she is Jesus' friend and that He invites her to be with Him. No, she doesn't know the Act of Contrition. She doesn't know what sin is. But her heart would be a beautiful, faithful receptacle for Jesus even now and part of me is sad that she must wait.
Rosebud, on the other hand, does not want to do any of this. I whispered into her ear at Mass that when she was bigger she could receive Jesus too and she looked at me and frowned. "I don't want to have Jesus' body."
"Well, maybe when you're older we'll talk about it again," I said.
"NO. I don't want to eat Jesus' body, " she repeated.
I am wondering if this has anything to do with the problem that she tends to equate the words "body" and "bottom" when referring to a person. . . :)
I wish she didn't have to wait.
I was not yet 6 years old when I made my first Communion. It was at a school chapel and it was a private Mass said by my family's priest friend who had prepared me. I remember that I carried up the gifts and remember putting out my tongue at the altar rail to receive Jesus.
My siblings didn't all receive Jesus as early as 5 yrs, but my mother has always been of the private opinion that 2nd grade is too late to make one's 1st Communion. "They know it's Jesus" she says, "and that's all that's needed."
Of course, parish priests and CCD teachers like to wait till they are old enough to be extensively educated in various tenets and prayers of the faith, have made their first Confession and have an understanding of sin. Naturally, this is good and important.
But as a mother who knows her daughter, I think Turtle is ready. She knows the bread is Jesus' body. She knows she is Jesus' friend and that He invites her to be with Him. No, she doesn't know the Act of Contrition. She doesn't know what sin is. But her heart would be a beautiful, faithful receptacle for Jesus even now and part of me is sad that she must wait.
Rosebud, on the other hand, does not want to do any of this. I whispered into her ear at Mass that when she was bigger she could receive Jesus too and she looked at me and frowned. "I don't want to have Jesus' body."
"Well, maybe when you're older we'll talk about it again," I said.
"NO. I don't want to eat Jesus' body, " she repeated.
I am wondering if this has anything to do with the problem that she tends to equate the words "body" and "bottom" when referring to a person. . . :)
Comments