We are all dust, and children must know it too. A pretty face, some day, is a pinch of dust. First Communion Day is an appropriatetime to contrast the two kinds of beauty, physical and spiritual, and a good time to remember that ourobligation is to raise young women who will be holy, not necessarily beautiful. Why some children giggle and squirm even at their First Communion is hard to say, unless they have not had enough preparation beforehand. Sisters do a magnificent job, but they still cannot take each child aside and spend as much time as they would like with him, explaining, helping with meditations. This is the parents' work. Reverent behavior even when all eyes are on him — even when someone next to him is taken with a fit of self-consciousness and has no outlet for it but giggles, will probably depend on how far a child has been helped to penetrate the beauty and mystery of this day. It would help, too, if most of the comments from loving family and friends — both before and after — had to do with what has happened rather than how pretty we all look. Because children love ritual, and ceremony, and doing things up round, they are apt to touch up these solemn performances with bits of embroidery now and then. As an example, genuflecting whenthey leave the altar rail. Even though Sister has explained that itis not necessary, sooner or later they will do it on their own. But if they are reminded why it isn't necessary, it makes sense to omit it. If you carry Our Lord within your very own body, it is not necessary to genuflect when passing in front of the tabernacle. You are the Tabernacle for the Host you have received. Distractions and Thanksgiving We have said something about acts of thanksgiving after Communion in the chapter on the Mass. Unless a child is constantly reminded, even given the words to say until he is able to phrase his own thanksgivings, he can easily forget to make any thanksgiving. It takes time and patience to form the habit, to learn how to fight through the distractions and pay perfect attention to God. It is not necessary that a child feel the grandeur of his union with Christ in the Eucharist. In all probability, he will feel more like looking around to see who else is receiving. But if he can learn to apply his will to making a thanksgiving, close his eyes or cover his face so that distractions are shut out, his thanksgiving has as great a value as if he were dissolved in sweetness. It is the action of the will which gives the value to prayer; it is too bad to wait until you are twenty or more,and have "discovered" prayer for the first time, to learn this. How much nicer to learn it at seven — and why not? For emphasis we repeat the three most important things for children to say in their thanksgiving: "Thank You for coming to me in Holy Communion.I love You. Please help me to love You more," phrased however each child would phrase them. Then we can remind him to remember Father from whose hands he has received the Body ofChrist, his family and friends, special intentions, the souls in Purgatory, and everyone in the world. The child who, at this age, wants to go on talking to Jesus is probably unusual (although they should all be encouraged to do this). The child who lifts his head to watch what is going on has at least said the necessary things before distractions set in. Grace will work on even the least of these things, like yeast in a dough,because they are pure now, and very innocent. We must not let them waste their innocence. In our family there is always a family feast following First Communion. Here, with the table beautiful in white linen and the best silver, with Granny's Delft china, with a lovely ceramic of OurLady and her Son as the centerpiece, the First Communion child is the honored guest. His gifts are at his plate, and a little bouquet of flowers, his Baptismal candle is lighted, and after Grace, before sitting down, the honored guest receives a kiss from everyone in the family. Every year the feasts of First Communions are kept, if not on the exact feast day then on the parish First Communion day. One more member of the family atthe Communion rail is a thrill all itsown. At the breakfast afterward, ifthe preparation has been thorough and the emphasis where it belongs, a First communicant will put what it all means in his own words. "Daddy has Jesus in him, and Mother has Jesus in her, and Granny has Jesusin her...and Jesus is in me!" Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in me — is it not world-shaking? Activity Source: We and Our Children by Mary Reed Newland, Image Books, 1961