Back on this side of the pond, students from one of the neighbouring secondary schools made their way to the church on Thursday for the parish mass celebrated at high noon. Celebrated within the second week of Easter, a week that has been set aside to highlight the importance of Catholic Education, 200 students filed through the door, bringing with them their musical talent, their eagerness to participate in any number of ways to make this liturgy as lively as possible, and their ever increasing sense that the church is somewhat different from the school gymnasium.
For some, this is an outing, but for all, this is a teachable moment, a chance for them to learn bit by bit the treasure of their faith, and to begin to understand, even if feebly at first how to relate to Jesus as a confidant and a friend. Who knows to what depth of faith they have already been invited .... some things can't be told in spoken word.
As it turns out, Thursday evening of this week was also the first of preparation classes for the young people (of elementary school age) who are preparing for the reception of First Eucharist. These gathered in the evening hours to begin the latest phase of their own instruction.
After a review of the sessions they have already lived in the past weeks, relative to preparation for First Reconciliation, they were invited to gather around a table where we reviewed for them the similarities between the Eucharistic meal and a meal offered out of hospitality in their own homes. Moving from the familiar to the not so well known does help them (and us too) to understand that this gesture is not so far from our comprehension as to be beyond us. Rather, Jesus used familiar customs to show us that He is always close to us, present in all that we do.
The next phase of these children's preparation takes place this morning. They will be invited to present their names, effectively enrolling themselves in the process of preparation for the Sacrament of First Eucharist, and taking a birds-eye view of the preparations, gestures and vessels that are used around the table of the heavenly banquet.
For some, this is an outing, but for all, this is a teachable moment, a chance for them to learn bit by bit the treasure of their faith, and to begin to understand, even if feebly at first how to relate to Jesus as a confidant and a friend. Who knows to what depth of faith they have already been invited .... some things can't be told in spoken word.
As it turns out, Thursday evening of this week was also the first of preparation classes for the young people (of elementary school age) who are preparing for the reception of First Eucharist. These gathered in the evening hours to begin the latest phase of their own instruction.
After a review of the sessions they have already lived in the past weeks, relative to preparation for First Reconciliation, they were invited to gather around a table where we reviewed for them the similarities between the Eucharistic meal and a meal offered out of hospitality in their own homes. Moving from the familiar to the not so well known does help them (and us too) to understand that this gesture is not so far from our comprehension as to be beyond us. Rather, Jesus used familiar customs to show us that He is always close to us, present in all that we do.
The next phase of these children's preparation takes place this morning. They will be invited to present their names, effectively enrolling themselves in the process of preparation for the Sacrament of First Eucharist, and taking a birds-eye view of the preparations, gestures and vessels that are used around the table of the heavenly banquet.
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