First Communion
Session 2
VERY IMPORTANT LESSON- PLEASE COMPLETE EVERYTHING
Jesus is the Bread of Life
- Remember the Miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes that Jesus fed 5,000 people with.
- The people were very impressed by that so they continued to follow Jesus to a town called Capernum
Jesus said to them "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any one eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh"
(John 6:51)
- Jesus gave them food for their physical needs but he also promised to give them (and us) his own Body and Blood for our souls.
- Many of the people found it hard to believe Jesus so they left
Do you think that made Jesus sad?
- Yes! He was probably very sad because he loved them and he wanted them to believe in Him and give us eternal life in Heaven!
The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist
Jesus explained that anyone who eats his flesh and drinks his blood will have eternal life.
We know that the bread and wine at Mass truly become the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus.
- Because Jesus said that he would give us His flesh and blood as true food and drink we know we can trust Jesus
- We know the Eucharist really is Jesus
- Eucharist is the foundation of everything else- gives us strength
Tabernacle
Next time you go to church make sure to find your Tabernacle.
Genuflect
Why do we genuflect?
- Because Jesus is present in the consecrated Host in the Tabernacle, as we enter and leave a Catholic church, we genuflect
- We bend the right knee to the ground toward the Tabernacle as a sign of our love and respect to the Real Presence of Christ in the Tabernacle
Practice genuflecting
Source & Summit
- Christ himself nourishes us and gives us strength so we can follow him more closely
Summit- Highest Point
- In the Eucharist we are united with Christ-which is the ultimate goal in our lives
What Do We Call It?
Different names for the Sacrament of the Eucharist
- pg 53
- The Eucharist
- The Lord's Supper
- Holy Communion
- The Lord's Supper
- The Most Blessed Sacrament
- The Holy Sacrifice
Preparing for Holy Communion
Pg, 64-66
- State of Grace- Making sure we have have not committed any really bad sins and not confessed them
- Eucharistic Fast-Do not eat or drink anything for an hour before we receive Holy Communion ----- This helps us to be hungry for Jesus and reminds us that the Eucharist is our most important food.
How to Receive the Eucharist
- In your hands
- On the tongue
Look at pages 64-65 and review how to receive the Eucharist
Practice receiving the Eucharist
- Hands folded and walk reverently when walking down the aisle to Communion
- Bow slightly
- Practicing receiving in the hand or on the tongue
- Say "Amen" after the Priest says "Body of Christ"
- You may choose to make the sign of the cross after you consume the Body of Christ
- Fold hands and walk reverently back to your pew
Host
- Piece of unleavened bread that is consecrated in the Eucharist
- It comes from the Latin word hostia, which means victim of sacrifice
Host becomes the Body of Christ, which is united to the whole self; that means if you only receive the Host you are still receiving all of Jesus
*Body *Blood *Soul *Divinity
Graces We Receive When we receive Holy Communion
- The Eucharist increases our union with Christ
- Helps us to avoid sin in the future and washes away small venial sins
- Helps us to grow in love, and the more we love God, the less we will sin
- Helps us to come closer to Christ and to help us live more like him