Oh dear, oh dear.
I am 99% certain that whoever instituted this gesture was absolutely convinced that it was 'the right and proper thing to do."
That it was ‘involving the children’.
Teaching them ‘what to expect when they were old enough to receive.’
Being ‘inclusive’ for those who could not receive.
And this is why the ‘rubrics’ (the rules) involving Mass --that seem so trivial to some because they have not imagined something like this ever being dreamed up and instituted in a Catholic Church–need to be followed, and ‘cool ideas’ of putting something ‘to help’ in the liturgy need to be abrogated tout de suite.
OK: Now the scenario below is just an opinion here. OK? I am not saying this is ‘how it happens’, I am not accusing any particular person. It is an example–not an indictment per se. It is simply what I can ‘imagine’ would be the thoughts going on in a family in this particular situation. OK?
Just a lovely, lovely gesture meant to keep people from having hurt feelings if they, or little Buffy or Alastair, could not receive. I mean, little Buffy and Alastair might not be ‘old enough’ for the Eucharist, but how do you expect a poor mother to handle their trembling lips and shrill. . .I mean, PIPING little voices asking, "Mommy? Daddy? Why can’t have what cousin Muffy and uncle Rupert have? Am I a BAD LITTLE GIRL/BOY? What is wrong with me, Mommy? I thought JESUS LOVED ME. . .but I guess (sob) He doesn’t. … "
But now Buffy and Alastair and all their little chums can get a cracker. They get to stand in line just like everybody else, and take something from the big old grownup like everybody else and eat it just like everybody else.
And when it is time for First Communion, what do you think Buffy and Alastair are thinking (or even saying)?
That’s JESUS? Heck no. I’ve been eating crackers for years. Now it’s supposed to be JESUS? Who are you kidding? This is what all the fuss was about? You’re joking. If it was Jesus, why did you let me think it was crackers all that time? If it’s so special, why did you trivialize it?
Oh well, Mom and Dad spent money for this sacrament (class). I’ll eat the cracker. But as I grow up, I’m not gonna be bothered to come here and sit through a bunch of people blah-blahing and wait in line for some dumb cracker. I’m 7 years old now and I’ve already wasted time on crackers. I’d rather stay in bed. There’s nothing here I need anyway."
Welcome to what could be the early thoughts of the (estimated) 60 to 70% of self-identified Catholics who think that the Eucharist is. . .a cracker. A ‘symbol’ of Jesus. . .but not Jesus.
