What a wonderful day it is boys and girls! Our parish is celebrating an event that you will remember for the rest of your lives- your First Holy Communion Day. There will be lots of pictures taken of you today and in years from now you will at those pictures and see yourself as you are now and you will remember that this was a special day and you will feel that moment inside you, the first time you and Jesus were of one heart and one mind!

Your parents have brought you here and asked that you be allowed to join our procession to the Altar of God. Your teachers and catechists have helped your parents teach you the catechism; they have brought you to confession so you can be pure of heart and worthy to receive this Holy Communion. I am grateful to them for teaching you what our parish believes.

What is Holy Communion? I am asking to see if anyone will raise his or her hands? Let’s start from the beginning. Some of you will bring forward the bread and wine and give it me. As your priest I will change them into the Body and Blood of Christ. Then I will sacrifice Jesus to the Father because this is what we do every Sunday. We worship God first above all things. God, being very thankful for His Gift, tells me then to  give you a Gift, the Gift of the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion.

Today Parents, the Church gives us the Feast of Saints Philip and James, apostles and Martyrs. These two men accept the command of Jesus to go out and preach the Gospel. They were killed for this act of love. We too are being sent forth as disciples to preach the Gospel, to tell people what happens here every Sunday.

My friends, I am so grateful that you have brought your children here to join in Holy Communion with us, because the world is becoming much like it was in the time of the Apostles and our children will have to suffer much for what they believe. They will need the foundation of the catechism and the strength of the Eucharist to keep them strong disciples for Jesus.

The very last thing the priest says at Mass is, “Go in peace.” Go forth and tell people what will help them get through life and the way to heaven: worship God first above all things and then go and tell others the Good News.

Thank you parents for helping your children go to confession and become pure of heart and worthy to receive the Holy Communion. This has been a great act of love not only for your children and your families, but also for the Church.