Dear Daughter of Christ and First Communicant

Dear Daughter of Christ and First Communicant,

I remember my First Holy Communion. I wore a pretty white dress and veil which my grandmother had made. In pictures, I had a big smile on my face. I felt and looked joyful and I didn’t quite know why at the time, at least not fully. It was a mystery that gradually unfolded as I grew up and continued to grow in my Catholic faith.

This past weekend, when I saw you making your First Holy Communion, I prayed for you. I pray that you become the bride of Christ that God meant you to be. I pray that the purity symbolized by your white dress remains in your soul as you grow up and face the temptations of life – temptations that will challenge your purity. Growing up to be a young woman in today’s culture is not easy.

I felt joyful for you because you received the best gift you can possibly receive today – Jesus! I pray that you grow to fully understand that each time you eat of His body and drink of His blood in this Blessed Sacrament, you are transformed and given grace. I pray that receiving and adoring Jesus in the Eucharist becomes a source of joy and peace for you, like it is for so many of us.

I pray that you always remember that you are a beloved daughter of God. I have at times forgotten that truth, but God reminds me of it when I feel broken, unworthy, and in need of mercy. You are so beloved that Christ gave His life for you and is always with you. I pray that you find strength in His love for you.

I pray that you recognize that receiving Jesus is just the start of a beautiful relationship with Him, a journey with abundant blessings, but also some crosses along the way.

Through it all, keep going to Mass each week and receiving Christ, even when you don’t want to, even when your spiritual life dries up and you feel uninspired, even when you think you don't have time and are overwhelmed with the demands of life, and even when none of your friends are. I promise you that there’s hidden grace and goodness even when you don’t see it, and it will carry you and transform you over time.

Christ is within you, child. God bless you.