A Great Mystery

On the Road

Preparation for First Eucharist begins in most parishes during the month of January. Those who are preparing for this spiritual milestone can easily get caught up in the excitement of the event. Families might be planning parties and picking out that perfect outfit for their little ones. Parish staff might become consumed with the minutiae of their own event planning—program requirements, processions, seating charts, and the coordination of the masses. And many within the parish might be oblivious to all of this.

With all of the necessary planning, we need to keep focused on why such planning is necessary, is important. As a parent, are you helping your child understand why celebrating their First Eucharist is a spiritual milestone? As a catechetical leader, are you harnessing the families’ enthusiasm to be sustained beyond this first of many celebrations? As Catholics, are we aware of the Church’s teachings about the Sacrament of the Eucharist? Are we preparing ourselves to reverently receive the Real Presence of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? Do we realize how blessed we, who are called to the supper of the Lamb, are in partaking of this great mystery that is the Body and Blood of our Lord?

Encounter

“The Eucharist is the “source and summit of the Christian life.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1324

“Then he took a loaf of 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.’”
Luke 22:19

Go Forth

What will you do to help others look beyond the day of First Communion to a lifetime of being nourished at the Table of the Lord?

Reflecting on your own experiences of receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, write a prayer thanking Jesus for his sacrificial gift of love.