Eucharist
The Eucharist is the greatest of all the sacraments because, as the very substance of Jesus Christ himself, the Eucharist enables a personal encounter with Jesus. Jesus, the God-man, is the perfect example for us of what we should be. What it means to be a human being is to be in a relationship with God, and this is exactly why we receive the Eucharist. We want Jesus’ body and blood to become our own and Jesus’ divinity to penetrate our entire being.
At Mass, the priest will raise the bread and say: “This is my body, which will be given up for you.” Then he will raise the wine and say, “This is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” The bread and wine become the Eucharist: the personal presence of Jesus Christ in body, blood, soul, and divinity. At communion, those who have an appropriate disposition are invited to come forward and receive the Eucharist on the tongue or by the hand.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.
John 6:51
Body
Blood
Soul
Divinity
First Communion
For children who wish to receive First Eucharist, there are a number of commitments that indicate the appropriate disposition and faith formation for receiving the sacrament.
These commitments include regular Mass attendance with the use of student envelopes, two years prior participation in religion classes with passing marks, proficiency in the Basic Catholic Teachings (BCTs), and presence of the parent and child at Eucharist formation.