Bible Study, Prayer, and Homily Resources
by Fr. Tommy Lane
Girls and boys, today is a very important and special today for you and your families. It is also a very important and special day for Jesus because he is coming to you for the first time in Holy Communion. You have been looking forward to this day with excitement and Jesus has also been looking forward to this day because Jesus loves you and wants to give himself in love to you in Holy Communion and also wants you to love him.
We always want to be our best to meet Jesus. So, you have put on beautiful clothes today. But there is something more important than putting on nice clothes to meet Jesus—having our heart and soul ready to meet Jesus. We would not want to have dirty clothes on us meeting Jesus, and we would not want to have a dirty heart or soul when meeting Jesus. That is why you went to confession again this week, to clean up before meeting Jesus. That is because confession is not once for life; confession is something we need often so that we are clean to meet Jesus.
Girls and boys, you know a great miracle takes place during every Mass. When I lift up the bread at the consecration, the bread changes into the body of Jesus though it continues to look like bread and the wine in the chalice changes into the blood of Jesus though it continues to look like wine. Of course, we live in a scientific world and maybe some grownups here today might say, “Prove it to me. God. Prove to me, Jesus, that the bread really changes into your body during Mass.” God has risen to the challenge and many times during Mass the bread has not only changed into the body of Jesus as it does during every Mass but also changed its appearance so that it looks like flesh. Every time this happened, it was tested by hospital labs, and they always find it is heart muscular tissue, so we could say it is the heart of Jesus. We call these “Eucharistic miracles” and if there are grownups here today who have doubts about the bread really becoming the body of Jesus, when you go home google “Eucharistic miracle” and you will find hundreds of them all through the history of the Church. Almost every year I read about another one happening some place.
If a couple got married and had a lovely wedding celebration but split with each other at the end of the day we would say, “what a silly couple.” In the same way, it would be very strange to receive Holy Communion here today and not come to Mass again. So, girls and boys, remind your parents or the grownups in your house that Jesus said not to prevent children from coming to him. Every Sunday, say to them, “I want to go to meet Jesus. I cannot go to meet Jesus if you don’t take me. Please take me to meet Jesus. Jesus said not to prevent children going to him.”
After Mass, girls and boys, everyone will want to meet you and be photographed with you. You will have nice things to eat. Jesus also wants you to enjoy yourselves. Just remember that it is all because Jesus has come to you. You will get gifts and envelopes with money inside. But the most important gift today is Jesus coming to you in Holy Communion. Jesus coming to you is the best gift you will receive today. Jesus is more important than all the money or presents or nice food. Continue to pray to Jesus and Mary every day because they love you so much.
Parents and grownups, of course this is a great day for you. You and everyone want the best for these children. What is the best for them? Jesus. Help them to stay close to Jesus and Mary. There is nothing greater you can give your children. You may have noticed in the media this week (2025) that Irish teens are among the least happy in the developed world. If we didn’t give oxygen to our body, our body would be very unhappy. We have been created by God and are meant for God, and we need to stay in contact with God to be happy. If we give up on God, throw God out of our lives, we will not be happy. Our body needs oxygen, and we need Jesus in our lives to be happy.
And the final word to you girls and boys. Jesus loves you and wants you to be happy. Always remember that Jesus and his mother Mary love you. Mary is our mother in heaven who loves you and wants to watch over you. Pray to Jesus and his mother Mary every day.
Copyright © Fr. Tommy Lane 2025
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More on First Holy Communion
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