Second grade at St. Thomas Aquinas was the time we started to train for our sacrament of the First Communion. It was a right of passage. No longer during our Thursday church service did we sit and watch the third graders go up and receive the body and blood of Christ but we were about to join them in doing so. This somehow made us older, more responsible young children. We could do something that first graders and under couldn't do. It was a feeling of a secret club that only those who receive the sacrement could share in on. We all anxiously awaited for our Sunday to receive this sacrament.
Mrs. Stingline was our teacher and the other second grade teacher was Sister Angelisha. Mrs. Stingline was an older teacher but still was wonderful with children. She would stand up in front of the class with a roll of the host and show us how to hold our hands, one on top of the other with palms facing up. "This is the body of Christ" which she instrusted us to reply by saying, "Amen".
The role the bread was in reminded you of a package of Ritz Crackers in its package. We were informed to place it whole in our mouths and not take bites from it. She said that at first it wasn't a taste we would like at first but after a while we would get used to it. One classmate made a yuck face when it was his turn to take the host. Mrs. Stingline scolded him saying it was very disrespectful to do so to the body of Christ and he would have to straighen up his look if he wanted to have his First Communion. Those after him knew to hide their distasteful looks.
Then it was my turn to line up and fold my hands the proper way and wait for the line to which I was ready to say Amen. Mrs. Stingline placed the host in my hands. I looked at the waffer and thought it looked big and I would probaby choke on it. I placed it in my mouth and to my suprise it all fit. It stuck between my tongue and the roof of my mouth. It was like I was tasting styrofoam. I made the sign of the cross and quietly walked myself back to my seat. It wasn't the best moment of my life but if this is what needs to be done then it needs to be done.
Next we lined up and learned about the blood of Christ or the wine. While in training we use grape juice. She said if we weren't comfortable receiving the blood of Christ we could pass but only after the First Communion. At our church we were told that we shared a cup which the rim was wiped with a cloth after each sip. Mrs. Stingline would tell us, "This is the blood of Christ" and we replied, "Amen" and take a small sip. I think we were all thinking the same thing - I hope no one backwashes!
We all couldn't take our sacrament at the same time. It was done all throughout the spring Sundays in church. Our parents and teachers arranged the dates in which our teacher displayed it proudly in the classroom. On Thursday service after someone received their First Communion those students would rise up when the usher okayed that row of seats to go forth to receive the body and blood of Christ. They were excited to join in on the older peers leaving the rest of us envious in our seats.
Finally it was my turn. April 21, 1985. My friend Melissa was joining in with me to receive this sacrament. I had a white frilly dress with a real daisy corsage and headpiece. My mom done up hair up in curlers which I know I must of fought her on as I hated having my hair done up. I had a small white purse to hold a small first communion pockt book and the order of mass. My friend Melissa, a few others, and I had reserved seating in the front row. The priest called us up to the front steps for us to kneel on as he prayed over us. Then he personally gave each one of us Eucharist with real wine. It was done. We now are able to receive communion in church. We instantly felt older. Afterwards we celebrated by going out to eat either at the Howard Johnson resturant or the Texan. We returned home and celebrated some more with some presents. The following Thursday at school during church it was my turn to stand up and walk slowly to the front to receive the bread and wine. And proudly I did go.
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| I (age 8) standing in front of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Saginaw, Mi. |
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| L to R: My sister Lisa, my mom, my brother Marc and me. |
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| My good friend Melissa and I. |
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| L to R: Nonnie (my grandmother), my grandpa and me. |
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| I was looking at the Children's Catholic Bible which I still have and treasure. |
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| A Bible Book I received for my First Communion |
I take for granted the training I had to receive eucharist. We now attend a Baptist church and we don't have a ceremony for the First Communion. Children go to Sunday school up until third grade then they stay with the family during church after that. On the first Sunday of the month the church does communion. I recently had our son with us during this time. I didn't realize I didn't prepare him for what to expect. Instead of walking up to the front of the church to receive a waffer we sat in our seats while a platter of chicklet size bread is passed around. I motion for James to take one. I looks up at me confused. I told him to just hold it and listen to the pastor. The pastor tells us how Jesus wanted us to remember Him by the last supper and that this was Jesus' body and to eat in rememberance of Him. Then we ate the bread. James' eyes grew really wide. James is the type of boy who takes things literally. "This is Jesus' body?" he asked me nervously. He ate it but wanted to spit it out. I told him he had to swallow it quickly.
I couldn't help but chuckle. I explained that it was in memory of and it really wasn't Christ's body. Then the small cups of juice was passed around. James was telling me how tiny these cups are. "Is this to wash down the bread?" he asks. When the pastor explained about the blood Christ I couldn't help but snicker. I knew James was going to question that. Sure enough James looked at me with a worried look. I told him it was really juice but we are to remember how Christ sacrificed himself for our sins. He quickly drank up the juice. "Yum!" he declares, "Can I have seconds?" I quickly shushed up James and prayed real hard to Jesus to help hold in my laughter during service.
As an adult I now understand what communion really means. It means that Christ gave himself up for our sins. He is the Livng Bread in which we shall never go hungry again. The word of the Lord shall dwell in us forever.
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