Eugene had made his first communion on Holy Thursday at the College of Nobles in Turin. It was always an important moment for him to recall the joy of this important event.
Antoine Ricard, who had been a diocesan seminarian in Marseille, showed this:
One Holy Thursday – as I personally recall – we were in the Cathedral of Marseille. The bishop (Eugene de Mazenod) was officiating with the gentle dignity and recollection that made him renowned among all the bishops, his contemporaries. Unexpectedly we saw him cry and, while trying, he could not conceal it. The seminarians who surrounded the bishop’s throne, struck by the emotion of the Bishop, were moved as they looked at him. He noticed this, and turning to one of them, the author of these lines, whose short-sightedness made his staring more obvious:
“Young man,” he said with that simplicity that made him win hearts, “do not be startled like that – today is the anniversary of my first communion.”
Mgr Antoine RICARD, Monseigneur de Mazenod, évêque de Marseille, fondateur de la Congrégation des Missionnaires Oblats de Marie Immaculée, p. 12.
As we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, perhaps we could make this the opportunity to recall our own first communion with joy and thanksgiving.
I have very little in the way of memories of my first communion save for the image of a white dress with new white shoes, a white prayer book and a beautiful rosary. All external things. I have tried to dredge some, one, any memory up but there seems to be nothing there. Not shameful but perhaps a little sad for that is a reflection of my life at that time.
What I do remember though is my First Communion when I came back into the Church! Just the thought of that morning carries a smile from my heart to my face. I felt such wonder, joy, awe – just to be able to sit there with others at Mass and then to have the priest offer me the body and blood of Christ!
Holy Thursday is always busy – with the washing of the feet etc – it can be easy to get caught up in the ‘doing’ of many things that evening and feel too busy to take time to reflect on much. Ron Rolheiser in his book “Our One Great Act of Fidelity – Waiting for Christ in the Eucharist wrote a chapter which is titled: “The Eucharist as the Ultimate Invitation to Mature Discipleship – to Wash Each Other’s Feet”.
I want to carry this with me on Holy Thursday – each is a part of the other, but with this reminder it is not just work – the ‘doing’ will be embraced and a part of tender love, joy, gratitude…
I woke up this morning thinking of all the things that need to be done next week. Thank you Frank for this preEaster gift. I will begin with the focus and the rest will come.
Thank you Frank, I appreciate the topic and will share it with the novices.