“If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion.”
– St .Maximilian Kolbe
Philip,
Sunday, the 1st of July, was your first Holy Communion. You were BEYOND excited. You were at my bedside at 5:50 in the morning. In the morning! You wanted to know if you could put on your suit. We told you to go back to bed, but you couldn’t sleep. Finally, after a breakfast of monkey bread and many, many, “Not yet!”s, we told you to get dressed. What a dapper looking boy you were in the vest I made (you picked out a lovely, patriotic print), new slacks and a smart red tie. Papa shined your shoes, we put gel in your hair and BAM! you were set.
Dad and I took you and Max to Cathedral early and while Max prepared to serve, you and Fr. Mike went over details. Your excitement slid into nerves and after you decided you would process up the aisle behind the servers, you changed your mind. You hovered dangerously close to panic but willingly walked back with Grandpa since he was the presiding deacon.
People who love you filled the pews and those who couldn’t be there prayed from afar. Your godparents sat behind us and the girls arrived with Mama Syd and Papa Chris and squeezed in between us and Grandma and the cousins.
You were a trooper and raced down the aisle. You were focused and attentive during the Liturgy of the Word and oh-so-ready come the Liturgy of the Eucharist. You were eager and full of awe as you went forward to receive our Lord. We prayed hard that you would know it was Him.
You returned to the pew glowing.
We celebrated this next step in your life with lunch and gifts at home. You sheepishly opened gifts and afterwards headed outside to play in the heat. Later, you disappeared with blankie in hand to think through the day.
When dad offered to take you shopping, you were over the moon. You were getting the Leap Pad you have wanted for six months! God IS good!!
And then to top off the day we went to Dairy Queen for supper. A hot dog, french fries, a grape slush and a Blizzard in the same day? WHAT?! Awesome! Everyone celebrated, even Gemma, who ate her first real food -bananas from a banana split.
A big day for us all.
