"This morning, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, condescended to come and dwell within me and gave Himself to me."
Kateri and Eliza received First Holy Communion today and Kateri also made her First Confession this morning!
Truly, one of the greatest privileges in parenting is teaching the Faith to our children, and when those lessons are brought to fruition in the reception of a Sacrament the joy is indescribable. The gratitude just overflows in a torrent. And today, to have two of them receive together, and to have Eliza come so far to arrive at this moment, well, the heart could just bust.
After Mass was the May Crowning, and as you can see Eliza was overjoyed to carry the crown for Our Lady! As you know, she loves the Blessed Mother. This proved very challenging when they brought the beautiful Our Lady of Fatima statue out before Mass in preparation for the crowning, and it took all my strength to keep Eliza from charging straight up into the sanctuary. As a compromise I let her go up and kneel for a prayer, but the gates were open and it was very hard to keep her from running up for a hug. She had to satisfy herself by blowing kisses. :-)
The girls were beautiful in their white dresses and veils, and positively radiant with joy. They were so happy to be receiving together, and their excitement and jubilation continually fed off each other. Kateri was just beaming after her Confession, and her anticipation just continued to grow throughout Mass. I'll always remember her look of expectant joy and the way she kept glancing over to smile at Eliza as the moment for Communion drew nearer and nearer.
The Crowning took place right after Mass, and then the communicants were enrolled in the Brown Scapular for a final blessing. The girls sang heartily along with the Salve Regina that concluded the ceremonies, just beaming to be able to sing to Our Lady on such a special day.
It was truly an amazing, blessed day! Deo Gratias!
And I overheard Kateri gleefully telling her sister at bedtime, 'Eliza, tomorrow is our Second Holy Communion!'
I give thanks to Thee, O holy Lord, Father almighty, eternal God, who hast vouchsafed, not for any merits of my own, but solely out of the condescension of Thy mercy, to appease the hunger of the soul of Thine unworthy servant, with the precious Body and Blood of Thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ. I implore that this Holy Communion be not to me a condemnation unto punishment, but a saving plea unto forgiveness. May it be unto me the armour of faith and the shield of good purpose. May it be the emptying out of my vices, the extinction of all concupiscence and lust, the increase of charity and patience, of humility and obedience, and of all virtues; a strong defence against the snares of all enemies, visible and invisible; the perfect quieting of all my impulses, both fleshly and ghostly; a firm cleaving unto Thee, the one true God; and an earnest of a happy consummation. And I beseech Thee, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bring me, a sinner, to that ineffable Banquet, in which Thou, together with Thy Son and the Holy Ghost, art to Thy Saints true light, fullness of content, eternal joy, gladness without alloy and perfect happiness. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. - Prayer of St. Thomas Aquinas
