The first 12 years of my life were spent in Brawley, California. I celebrated the sacrament of First Holy Communion at St. Margaret Mary Church. I remember the special day of my First Holy Communion. I was excited to wear a new dress, but too young to understand the impact and the true meaning of this sacred event. I knew it was a special day because our mother made sure I had everything I needed. White dress, veil and gloves, white shoes…My mother even went the extra mile and purchased a small purse to match. I remember the purse because I got into a lot of trouble for my unladylike behavior. I had never owned a purse before, so I was holding the shoulder straps and swinging the purse between my legs. My mother was mortified and took it from me. “I never saw that purse again!”
What I took for granted as a child has now become my transcendence. I cannot live without my daily bread. To receive communion is to start my day with a clean slate; nothing can measure up to this feeling of inner peace.
Since our daughter Sonja has been furloughed from her job again we have been walking almost every morning for an hour. I shared with her how excited I was to be part of Jacob’s First Holy Communion as a Eucharistic Minister, but one of the priests from our parish will have the special honor of dispensing his Holy Communion. Lucas, Sonja’s older son, experienced this sacrament two years ago. In Lucas’ case the world was normal and everything was well orchestrated. The children made banners with their names and hung them at the entrance of the pews. All was well rehearsed, with each child flanked by both parents as they walked in. It was held in the church with hundreds of guests.
Jake’s will be different, as he will be wearing a mask the entire time. The service will be held outdoors, and we have no idea who else will be participating in this blessed event. We, as a family, will be there to support him; but sadly, due to Covid -19, his paternal grandmother Nancy and her husband Steve cannot attend. As the world has fallen off its axis, we all have to make the great adjustments.
Sacrament of First Holy Communion
The sacrament of First Holy Communion is not only sacred; it’s an intermediary between God and you. When you’ve come to the understanding of Holy Communion, you’ve reached a new realm of being purged of your trespasses. How is it that many Catholics do not acknowledge the holiness of receiving communion? I can only express that every part of my body is stimulated when receiving the holy bread. It starts with my heart and moves to the inner parts of my soul. As I ingest the Host, I am being cleansed. My mind is the last to receive the holy message of healing. For example, if I’ve had a disagreement with my husband before leaving for daily Mass, by the time I get home all the heaviness has lifted. When you experience this freedom, there is nothing that the world can throw at you that you cannot handle because of the grace you’ve received. This is the original homeopathic medicine from heaven. It’s a natural healing of physical and especially emotional pain.
Emotional Pain
We’ve been hit hard with not only COVID-19 but also with social unrest. People are suffering from high levels of stress because they have lost their jobs. Some have lost their businesses, others their homes. Life is uncertain, and each day is still a mystery. This evil virus has held us captive for almost six months, so I am tired of sacrificing my daily routine. But I also realize that this is valid. People are dying, and all we can do is hold on to the hope that God will see us through this. The media does a wonderful job of making sure that the masses remain in the mindset of fear. The more fear you put on people, the less control they will have over their situations. I choose not to fall into the lies and sensationalism of the half-truths the world offers; instead I place all of my trust in God. I receive this supernatural strength by receiving Holy Communion on a regular basis.
Firearms
Did you know that gun sales have risen? Sales of firearms have exceeded nearly 80% because of all this turmoil. The FBI reported that in May there were over 3 million background checks. The defunding of the police sounded an alarm, so people are arming themselves. I guess gun control will be put on the back burner this election because no one wants to be told what to do when it comes to defending their loved ones. Chaos on the streets and the virus looming in the air have caused uneasiness, but the answer has always been to turn to God.
Turn to God
Our grandchildren have a rocky future because we don’t know when they are going back to school and what the long-term effects of this will be on their psyche. God is cleaning up the schools from all the propaganda that is being introduced to students. Our universities need a total shakedown too, because they have cultivated a systemic culture of hate. The Devil is working overtime, deploying his minions by causing the Black Lives Matter platform to introduce more controversial changes in public schools. These plans are design to destroy everything that stands for God. This is just one example of their principles:
Principle #1 : All Black Lives Matter.
Queer Black lives, Trans Black lives, formerly incarcerated Black lives, differently-abled Black lives, Black women’s lives, immigrant black lives, Black elderly and children’s lives. ALL BLACK LIVES MATTER and are creators of this space. We throw no one under the bus. We rise together.
Black Lives Matter has also introduced a curriculum for public schools: a “kid-friendly” version of their 13 guiding principles. These ambiguities are seasoned with Marxism, so we need to protect our children against these indoctrinations. With all my heart I believe the pain that many Black people have endured. I will do my part with respect to the healing that needs to take place, but I will never go against the laws of God.
My Prayer:
Dear Lord, you see all the conflicts that our children and grandchildren have before them. Guide us as parents and grandparents to become great examples of standing up for You. Allow us to move and to say what needs to be said without fear. Equip us to confront the Goliaths of the world, the handful of billionaires pulling the strings of anarchy to destroy Your Kingdom. Heavenly Father, give our children an opportunity to live normal lives again. Amen.
