April 14th, 2024

Today our second graders will be receiving their First Communion. Here is one of my favorite First Communion stories. It is rather unconventional.   Felicia Braun’s First Communion was a rather traumatic affair. She was tortured with deep apprehension. The photographer who was to take the children’s pictures saw it and his questioning frightened Felicia. He told the little girl how beautiful she looked in her Communion dress. “Smile,” he implored the girl, “why are you so sad? You want to be bright and smiling on the day of your first Communion, you will want to remember it all of your life.” Felicia would remember the day, but not for the reasons the photographer imagined. He ultimately took two pictures, one worse than the other, of the glum little girl. As the ceremony went on, Felicia was shoved into the procession of children approaching the altar. Finally, she looked up and saw the priest presenting the host to her, and she looked into his eyes and saw forever. She remembered the kind face of her own real father, and she thanked God, she [...]