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What is the best gift a child could received on their First Communion? Is it a new toy, shiny new Bible or a fancy necklace?
The best gift a child can receive on their First Communion is Jesus himself!
This may seem like a "let down" to some, but in reality, we can cherish this gift for the rest of our lives and even into eternity.
When recalling his First Communion, Pope Benedict XVI explained what he felt on that day.
But at the heart of my joyful and beautiful memories is this one ... I understood that Jesus had entered my heart, he had actually visited me. And with Jesus, God himself was with me. And I realized that this is a gift of love that is truly worth more than all the other things that life can give.
St. John Paul II described the First Communion of St. Therese of Lisieux when meeting with children in 1979.
St. Therese of the Child Jesus, recalling the day of her First Communion, wrote: "Oh, how sweet was the first kiss that Jesus gave my soul! ... It was a kiss of love, I felt loved and I said in my turn: `I love you, I give myself to you for ever' ... Therese had disappeared like a drop of water lost in the ocean. There remained only Jesus: the master, the King." And she began to weep with joy and consolation, to the amazement of her companions.
Unfortunately, our children do not always have the same response to such a gift. As with all graces, it will depend on how well the child is disposed to receiving Jesus and if they know whom they are receiving.
Yet, that should not stop us from trying to show our children how beautiful a gift they will be receiving and to remind ourselves of the gift that we receive every Sunday.
