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Eucharist

For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in Him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
John 6:55-57
The Eucharist is the most important thing in the entire Christian life because it is Jesus himself. Many Christians today speak of “having a relationship” with Jesus, and we couldn’t agree more; Jesus loves us so much he actually desires to live physically inside us through this sacrament. As our Lord says himself:  “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you; he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is food indeed and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him.” (John 6:53-56) The New Testament abounds with references to the Eucharist; indeed the body of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine has been the center of Christianity from the earliest days of the nascent church.

Preparing for the Sacrament of Holy Communion

In Holy Communion, prepare to meet the Lord Jesus in this special sacrament. The Rite of Holy Communion celebrates the final step toward full initiation into the Church. First Holy Communion is most often celebrated around the age of seven or eight, when the children are of the age of reason and are capable of participating in the sacramental life of the Catholic Church. For First Holy Communion, you must go to the sacrament of Confession before receiving Holy Communion. The Eucharist is a gift that takes a whole lifetime to understand; it is a gift that requires a response from us, that is why we must take care that our children are well prepared.

At your child’s Baptism you, the parents, were told that you “would be the first and best teachers of your children in the way of faith.” Parental involvement in the preparation of your child for First Holy Communion is paramount. The parish helps, but does not replace your part in the process of leading your children in the development of their faith, through the development and example of your own life. The best preparation for the Eucharist is taking your child to Mass regularly and helping your child understand what it is all about.

The Restored Order

The Archdiocese of Denver is in the process of restoring the order of the Sacraments of Initiation. These three sacraments are originally intended to be received in this order: Baptism, Confirmation then Holy Eucharist (First Communion). The sacrament that fully initiates a person into the Catholic Church is First Communion.

A video about the Restored Order and a Pastoral Letter “Saints Among Us” from Archbishop Aquila are available below.

The Restored Order

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