First Communion

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This past Saturday, many parishes celebrated with students who were receiving the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist for the first time.  There were 130 young people between two Mass times offered.  The first of those Masses was packed with family and friends of the first communicants.  It was amazing.  However, I think I was more struck in my soul by the second Mass.  You see, there were three children with special needs, including one boy who sometimes does not eat.  He has a feeding tube.  The celebrant (not me) came up with the idea to use a syringe to give the Blood of Christ since we receive Jesus' fullness in His Body and/OR Blood.  So why do we push receiving both species and not just one?

Still, there are some people who would want to have Catholics believe that the child in the example above didn't truly receive his first communion because he didn't receive the Body of Christ, only His Blood.  That is extremely poor theology in my view.  In all honesty, not only did Jesus offer His Body for the sacrifice, but isn't blood part of the human body too?  Yes, Jesus did say in the gospel of John "Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood will have eternal life."  However, there are places where Jesus makes reference to EITHER/OR and not both as having such importance.

In the case of the child at first communion, while the mouth is the normal way of receiving nourishment for the body, if someone is unable to swallow and there is a feeding tube for someone to take nourishment, then it must be the vehicle.  It's the same as the arguments for people who have celiac disease who cannot receive the Body, or the argument of a priest not using altar wine if he has been diagnosed as alcohol dependent.

What I witnessed after that Mass on Saturday was nothing short of a "miracle" for that young man.  His parents took him out of the stroller, holding his hands, and had him walking with help.  It was as heartwarming as anything I've seen.  Prayer and the Eucharist -- they make the most sense to pair as a team.

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