Jean-Marie's First Holy Communion

You know how you imagine certain milestones in life and how you intend them to go a certain way or be a certain way? This was one of those times that something was nothing the way I had intended it to be. Our Lord and Our Lady had other plans.

I must tell the events of the weekend so that this story of Jean-Marie's First Holy Communion puts things into perspective. I feel the need to explain.

I had intended to travel back to our new residence on Saturday to pack as much of our necessities into the van as possible to take back to Minnesota until the moving truck was to arrive the following week. The day got to be so long on Saturday that I could not drive back without the risk of falling asleep at the wheel. I decided we would stay another night, go to Mass at the Our Lady of Good Help and head out from there. Since we had not intended to go to Mass in Green Bay, Jean-Marie ended up being the only one without Mass attire because I had deliberately not packed any. The only "presentable" clothing he had was a clean "turtle" shirt and brown plaid shorts. I could not find any pants for him.

Our children are only used the extraordinary form of the Mass and so when it came time for communion I asked Johnny if he would like to stay in the pew since I wasn't certain the priest would give the little ones a blessing or perhaps even accidentally give Johnny communion. Johnny decided to stay in the pew. At the last minute, he joined in the line somewhere in between his siblings and I didn't know it. As we all quietly filed back into the pew, I noticed Johnny was glowing with joy and had walked back from the communion line with the rest of the family. He looks at me and says, "This is the best Mass ever!" I smiled and wondered. I wasn't quite sure I understood what he meant. It came out of nowhere.

After Mass we visited the gift shop which adjoins the chapel. Johnny asked me if he could get a scapular and I told him that he had to wait until he received his First Holy Communion and he would be enrolled by the priest at that time. The Knight pops his head around from the other side of the religious medals and pipes in with a, "He did receive his First Holy Communion." "Wait. What? What are you talking about?" I asked. John proceeds with, "It all happened so quickly. There was nothing I could do. Johnny filled in an empty place at the communion rail and when I looked over to see where he was he was already receiving Our Lord."

I quickly escorted Johnny out of the gift shop, asked him a few questions and took him back to into the church to make his thanksgiving and ask Our Lord to help him prepare for the "Second" First Holy Communion and discussed how important it is to go to confession before receiving Jesus.

Here this child has been begging to go to confession for at least half a year and I keep telling him he has to wait until he completes his catechism book and learns the rest of the commandments. Things got so crazy with the home selling/moving that I neglecting preparing this little boy to receive our Lord properly. I was crushed. I felt tremendous guilt for neglecting my duty.

Then it dawned on me. This sweet little boy has the disposition of a saint. He was in humble clothing and innocently received Our Lord for the first time at a holy place where Our Lady appeared to Sister Adele Brice to tell the world to teach the children their catechism. Sigh. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

Our Lady has a special place in her heart for this little boy. This much I know.