Chapter 5: Your First Communion

Objectives:

- To proclaim that we are ready to say “yes” to God and receive First Holy Communion.

- To explain that the Eucharist will empower us to do great things for God.

- To teach that we will always have an open invitation from God to share in the great celebration of Mass.

Opening Prayer:

- Start by saying, “Let’s take a moment in silence to be still and quiet and open ourselves up to whatever God wants to lead us today.”

- Have your child/children bless themselves and read the prayer:

God, our loving Father, thank you for all the ways you bless me. Help me to be aware that every person, place and adventure I experience is an opportunity to love you more. Fill me with a desire to change and to grow, and give me the grace to become the best-version-of-myself in every moment of every day. Amen.

Pages 158-159 are a review of what you have learned in this chapter. Give your child time to answer all of the questions and review the answers with them at the end. Suggest that they may have to look back in the chapter to find the answers to some of the trickier questions.

How close is your child to the day of his or her First Communion? Consider creating a countdown. Put the number of days left on the fridge or have your child write in their workbook “22 days until my First Communion!” Anticipation compounds excitement. And your excitement will spill over to increase their excitement regarding this very important day. But don’t stop there. When you go to receive Holy Communion next Sunday at Mass, bring your child with you. Encourage them to watch you carefully so they will know what to do. When you get back to your seat, lean in, and whisper, “I can’t wait for the day when you get to receive Communion, too!”

My Lord and my God, I firmly believe that you are present in the Eucharist. Take the blindness from my eyes, so that I can see all people and all things as you see them. Take the deafness from my ears, so that I can hear your truth and follow it. Take the hardness from my heart, so that I can live and love generously. Amen.