Madison's First Holy Communion

Sunday April 27, 2008 was Madison's First Holy Communion. Her beautiful smocked dress was worn by her two older cousins for their First Holy Communion as well, which makes it really special. In the catholic church when the children who are enrolled in the parish school of religion (Sunday School) are in second grade they are able to complete the sacrament of First Holy Communion. This is the first time that they can participate in communion during Mass. We didn't take any pictures of her during her first communion in Mass because we didn't feel it was appropriate during such a reverent time.Again I have taken some wording from a catholic handbook I have to try and explain this sacrament. "At the Last Supper, on the night when He was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection; a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us." This mystery is the very center and culmination of Christian life. It is the "source and the summit of all preaching of the Gospel...the center of the assembly of the faithful". In every Mass Christ is present, both in the person of his priest and especially under the form of bread and wine. In every mass, his death becomes a present reality, offered as a our sacrifice to God in an unbloody and sacramental manner. As often as the sacrifice of the cross is a celebrated on an altar, the work of our redemption is carried on. (By the way, Vince has shaved his goatee)

At Mass we offer Christ, our passover sacrifice, to God, and we offer ourselves along with him. We then receive the risen Lord, our bread of life, in holy Communion. In so doing, we enter into the very core of the paschal mystery of our salvation-the death and resurrection of Christ.

Eating the supper of the Lord, we span all time and "proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes" (1 Corinthians 11:26). If you prepare for it with care and enter into it with living faith, the Eucharist can draw you into the compelling love of Christ and set you afire.

*****Passages taken from HANDBOOK FOR TODAY'S CATHOLIC******

After Mass we had family over for lunch to celebrate. If you ever need a cake for a baptism or other church function-Publix did a great job!

Madison obviously enjoyed it!

It was a wonderful day that I am thrilled we were able to share with our whole family.