Homily for April 17, 2005 Liturgical Year A-Cycle I 4th Sunday of Easter by Fr. John Carney Topic: First Holy Communion +  +  +

I commend the parents, and grandparents, and godparents, as well as our teachers, our catechists, and helpers, because you’ve taught your children well.  They are here today – 15 of them at this mass – to receive their First Holy Communion.  The beautiful thing about God’s way is that, when it comes to religious matters, things of God, we teach the children, and then the children teach us.  The scriptures say not only must we become like children to enter into the Kingdom, but “a child will lead you.”  Reference clearly to the Christ child but also to children in general.  So, we have taught them, and our parish catechists and their parents have taught them.  As a matter of fact, in the future we are changing our program. We are going to involve the parents even more in the instruction of their children in catechism and especially for sacramental preparation.  But we learn from the children as well.  They are never boring, are they? 

We asked the children from some of our classes to do an evaluation.  Now we have 6- and 7-year-olds doing participant evaluations.  We asked them, what do they like about this year, what did they not like, and what changes should we make for next year.  We got some very interesting responses.  “I liked the Seder supper the best.  I didn’t like the reading.  And we didn’t have enough pizza parties.  Next year, more parties!  And movies!  And less reading.”  “I liked going to church with my dad.”  What would you suggest to make next year’s classes better?  “Sitting straight in class.”  Child of an engineer.  What did you like best about this year?  “Playing ‘Boogie, Boogie, Where’s your Bone?’” Next year, “Eat more candy.”  What did you like best? “Making a painting and grandma coming.”  We are trying to have parents and even grandparents come to class on a regular basis.  The kids love that!  It means so much to them.  What did you not like?  “Charlie head locking me.”  What do you suggest to make next year’s classes better?  “Staying away from Charlie.”  What did you like best?  “Spring break.”  What didn’t you like? “Having to be told to be quiet.”  Next year?  “More fun.”  Signed by little Johnny Carney.  Look what happened to me.  This is interesting.  What did you like best about this year?  “When we did the book.”  All the ages have a book.  How about next year?  “Doing nothing but the book.”  And this is the next one.  What did you like about this year?  “When we had parties.”  What didn’t you like?  “Doing the book.”  Next year?  “No book.”  They are just like their parents.  No matter what we do… I’m not complaining.  You pay me 8 bucks an hour, that’s about what you get. (Laughter)

Next year, we are going to ask the First Holy Communion children to write a one page letter to me, and the question is going to be, “Why do you want to receive your First Holy Communion?”  I did that about five years ago and I want to share some of these responses with you.  Children have the ability to simplify things.  St. Thomas Aquinas, the greatest theologian in our church history, said that one of God’s attributes is to be simple.  And he defined simple as not having parts – the fewer parts, the simpler it is.  I think that applies to the study and understanding of theology.  Children don’t use words like theological and ontological, and transubstantiation.  But they understand.  They understand Holy Communion.  Here are some responses.  Why do you want to receive your First Holy Communion?  “Because I want to receive Jesus in my heart.  I want to share Him with others.”  “I want to receive First Holy Communion because I want my family to be there.  I want to receive God.  I was always Catholic.”  “I want to be good to everyone.  I want to love everyone.  I want to help everyone.  I want to clean for everyone.”  This is Charlie’s sister.  “I want to play with everyone.  I want to give things to everyone.”  “The reason I want to make my First Holy Communion is because I want to accept Jesus in my heart, to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.  Because I will make my confession and finally I will have a party.”  “I am very nervous but very excited about making my confession.  I am also excited because my nina’s going to buy me a pair of new shoes, a dress, and a veil.”  This ain’t Charlie.  “Hopefully I will get lots of presents and money at my party.”

Who’s having a party today?  Anybody?  Wow!  It is a custom in our Catholic church to give children money.  Do you like that custom?  Kind of?  Mateo!  Or is that Diego?  Anyway, remember, next week, ten percent comes to the church.  It’s called tithing.  Start them early, you know?

“Because I want to have a holy life and go to heaven, which the host will help me, since what I am really receiving is Jesus and not plain old bread and wine.”  “It’s because I want to become closer to God.”  How can you become closer to God more than taking God inside your body?  That’s what we do in Holy Communion.  “Because I want to be a child of God.  I want to live with God, not the devil.  I don’t like the devil!  I like God.”  “I want to receive Jesus because He died for us, and gave up so much for us.”  “I want to go to confession because He will forgive me all of my sins.”  This is a brilliant child, listen:  “When we go to mass, we should always listen to Father, because we are listening to God’s words.”  Kid’s going to go far.  “I am really looking forward to making my First Holy Communion because I want to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, Our Savior.  I am also glad that I can receive communion with my family.  The church and my family are the most important things in my life.”  “I want to make my First Holy Communion because I think it would be good for me to have Jesus in my heart and not the devil.  I think that having the Body of Christ Jesus in my heart is better than having nothing in my heart.  Having Jesus in my heart is going to be like the best thing in the world.  Totally the best.  There are other reasons that I want to make my First Holy Communion, but it would take up more than one page, so goodbye.”  “I want to receive my First Holy Communion because I am a good kid and I’m nice.”  “I want to receive Jesus and become more like Him.  Because I believe in Him.  I believe in Him because He is God, and I don’t want to go up to the altar and act like it’s some kind of bread my mom baked.  Because I know deep down in my heart, I am not receiving bread; I am receiving the Lord’s Body.”  Wow!  “Because I want to receive Jesus and have a little more good inside me.  Also, I love and believe in Jesus.  Also, because I want to go to heaven and see my aunt and grandma again.”  That’s good.  Those children know what Holy Communion is. 

In their simple but beautiful way, they remind all of us of what a sacred thing this is that we do here.  That we come together every Sunday around this altar, and we receive the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus.  Why?  Well, because they tell us, “to receive Jesus in my heart, so I’m more like Him, to share Him with others, to be in communion with my family, to be in communion with those who have died, to have Jesus in my heart and not the devil because they don’t get along – they don’t coexist – and to be closer to God and to be holier.”  

There’s one other reason to receive Holy Communion.  To be honest with you, I never thought about this until this past week.  I’ve always looked at the Eucharist as God’s great gift to us, which it is.  If I thought about it, I would say, well, His motive is to help us, which it does.  But there’s another reason.  Jesus gave us the Eucharist for Himself.  He wants to be with you, physically with you.  And how is He to do that?  Only sacramentally.  So, don’t deny Jesus the opportunity of being one with you in Holy Communion. Ensure the place that you receive Him is clean and pure and beautiful. 

That’s what these children are about to do.  They are pure and clean and beautiful.  And they are ready to receive Jesus in their hearts and in their bodies today.  May they always be this close to Him.  May they all live to be 100 and always know His love and the love of family.