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utunumsint
Guest
Hi all,
So my six year old is a very precocious and lovable choleric personality (type A) who often acts before thinking things through. I was sick this Sunday, so my wife was alone at mass with four of our six kids. We have always taught our six year old to cross his arms over his chest as a sign that he is too young to receive. But, perhaps because I was away, the temptation to experience what it tastes like grew too powerful for him and he stretched out his hands and received the Eucharist from the deacon. When he finally returned to the pew, his conscience had begun to assert itself and he started to tremble and weep and when my wife noticed, he confessed immediately.
“I was tempted and I couldn’t stop myself mummy.”
My wife gave him a stern talking too, then took him to the deacon after mass who brought him to the parish priest. They both spoke kindly to him and reassured him that nothing bad would happen. That it everything was alright. He has simply received his first communion early (his brother, who is a year older, had received this spring and we had a big celebration to commemorate the event).
Anyway, after he had calmed down enough, he declared “Mummy, I don’t think I want to receive communion next year. I didn’t like the taste.” This reinforced in me the lessons as to why I went through all those classes at church with my other son. After all those times we pointed to the tabernacle or to the blessed sacrament and told him that this was really Jesus, it simply did not register for this little guy.
Another lesson I drew from this is that I think I want to keep the younger kids out of the communion line going forward. I can stay behind while my wife receives, then I can go on my own after she is done. It just makes more sense.
I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts. Anyone have any similar experiences?
God bless,
Ut
So my six year old is a very precocious and lovable choleric personality (type A) who often acts before thinking things through. I was sick this Sunday, so my wife was alone at mass with four of our six kids. We have always taught our six year old to cross his arms over his chest as a sign that he is too young to receive. But, perhaps because I was away, the temptation to experience what it tastes like grew too powerful for him and he stretched out his hands and received the Eucharist from the deacon. When he finally returned to the pew, his conscience had begun to assert itself and he started to tremble and weep and when my wife noticed, he confessed immediately.
“I was tempted and I couldn’t stop myself mummy.”
My wife gave him a stern talking too, then took him to the deacon after mass who brought him to the parish priest. They both spoke kindly to him and reassured him that nothing bad would happen. That it everything was alright. He has simply received his first communion early (his brother, who is a year older, had received this spring and we had a big celebration to commemorate the event).
Anyway, after he had calmed down enough, he declared “Mummy, I don’t think I want to receive communion next year. I didn’t like the taste.” This reinforced in me the lessons as to why I went through all those classes at church with my other son. After all those times we pointed to the tabernacle or to the blessed sacrament and told him that this was really Jesus, it simply did not register for this little guy.
Another lesson I drew from this is that I think I want to keep the younger kids out of the communion line going forward. I can stay behind while my wife receives, then I can go on my own after she is done. It just makes more sense.
I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts. Anyone have any similar experiences?
God bless,
Ut
