“The deepest of level of communication is not communication, but communion. It is wordless ... beyond speech ... beyond concept.”

“When we work hard, we must eat well. What a joy, that you can receive Holy Communion often! It’s our life and support in this life – Receive Communion often, and Jesus will change you into Himself.” - Saint Peter Julian Eymard (1811 – 1868 French Catholic priest and founder of two religious institutes)

Gospel Text: (JN 6:52-59)
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Imagine a live human being in front of you saying: "Eat My flesh and drink My blood." This turned a lot of people off, but Jesus refused to change His terminology. Holy Communion really is Jesus. And how can we convey to a child making his or her First Communion the true nature of what Jesus meant when he said, "Let Me solemnly assure you, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:53)?

First Communion is a sacrament which is a conduit of God’s grace. Sacraments are actions which manifest God working in our lives.

The promise of Jesus is clear, “…whoever eats this bread will live forever.” That is a lot to take in, especially for a second grader upon their First Communion… that is a lot to take in for a person of any age. As we receive Jesus in Holy Eucharist in the state of grace, we are united with him… for eternity.