Sunday May 2, 2010
First Holy Communion at
St Ann Church in Naples FL, USA.
First Holy Communion at
St Ann Church in Naples FL, USA.
This is not about "religion".
This is about CHILDREN.
Innocent girls and boys,
Seventy-seven in number.
Two-and-three at a time
They spoke
Old Testament Readings
Brief one from New Testament
They sang the Psalm
They sang the Liturgy.
Softly, as if fearful, they addressed
Many an eye tearful...and blest.
Parents, Friends and relations
Gathered together in elation
To witness this moment unusual,
And so sublimely spiritual.
As I observed the ceremony
From afar on my perch
I'd completely forgotten
That I was in church.
Spirituality and church
To me are really separate
My loving Higher Power,
You see, IS my God!
I DO find God in that building
He is down there with the People.
Deep down within each one
Regardless how high the steeple.
And yesterday as I bent my knee
HE spoke to this old man...in
The only manner I can hear
He "talked" through those tiny three
As they spoke,
As they sang,
As bells rang,
As I also sang.
Life is SUCH fun
During these days
My First Communion
Was not far away.
Only seventy years
Before this one--
I recall the fears
They are all gone.......
This is about CHILDREN.
Innocent girls and boys,
Seventy-seven in number.
Two-and-three at a time
They spoke
Old Testament Readings
Brief one from New Testament
They sang the Psalm
They sang the Liturgy.
Softly, as if fearful, they addressed
Many an eye tearful...and blest.
Parents, Friends and relations
Gathered together in elation
To witness this moment unusual,
And so sublimely spiritual.
As I observed the ceremony
From afar on my perch
I'd completely forgotten
That I was in church.
Spirituality and church
To me are really separate
My loving Higher Power,
You see, IS my God!
I DO find God in that building
He is down there with the People.
Deep down within each one
Regardless how high the steeple.
And yesterday as I bent my knee
HE spoke to this old man...in
The only manner I can hear
He "talked" through those tiny three
As they spoke,
As they sang,
As bells rang,
As I also sang.
Life is SUCH fun
During these days
My First Communion
Was not far away.
Only seventy years
Before this one--
I recall the fears
They are all gone.......
22 comments:
Long ago and Far away
Beautiful...my daughter celebrates hers this coming weekend.
smiles. love it. the faith of little children is so tender and precious and they are still willing to ask the tough questions...sounds like a great moment...
Every second Sunday here it is "Moppet Mass". Totally dedicated to the children. They do the readings and lead the prayers for intentions. Kind of neat, I had never seen something like this before.
I felt a piece of your soul here, Steve. I felt it. And beyond that... I don't know what to say...
Nevine
I remember my first communion. I'm glad to just have a spiritual feeling today that is much stronger than in my youth.
Amen!
i have always loved it when kids are the ones that are focused on in church, don't care which one or where, just that it's the children running the show, so to speak...it reaches right in and grabs my heart and gently hugs me, reminding me that I too am a child in that light....in fact, they know more than i do about faith and love and goodness....perhaps that is why it is so powerful and full of sweetness....thank you for sharing this, i for one don't care if it's catholic or jewish, it's all the same thing.....♥
Hi! Just "discovered" your blog...you "grin" a lot!I like it! Keep grinning! :)
--grin
This was just beautiful to read Steve. You have a kind heart my blogger friend & this shows in your writing! I know the feeling you describe so well in this poem because I too have shed those loving tears for my own children. Especially when my youngest son started as an Altar server!!
My special "holy" day was Monday in the hospital. Yours was during that service.
God is good.
PG
This was really sweet and lovely!!
Great post and totally agree with you about spirituality and religion. My program has taught me the distinction and that has made all the difference!
Dear Steve,
How beautiful of you to see such beauty there
I celebrated mine... let me see, in 1974..nearly nine I was.
I hated every moment of it--
And nowadays these girls dressed as brides, whose parents spend trillions in their dresses and stuff... just for one day which- as Xmas- has lost its essence... the real reason why we take that communion...
Sorry Peep... I've become an anti catholic CAtholic... or something like that
But you know I love you, any way. It's only my opinion.Ok?-. grin
Hugs
xoxxo
Steve,
How precious these rights of passage are...my children attend a parochial school, and it's awesome to see them walk with God. I believe you are right when you say church and spirituality are seperate. I once had it explained to me that church is your community and spirituality is your one on one with God or whomever your HP is!
Dulce, in 1974 I got sober...HA!
You write about Holy Communion: "just for one day which- as Xmas- has lost its essence... the real reason why we take that communion...
Feast days and Holidays and Tradition have not lost their essence--they have nothing to lose. It is us Peeps who have lost--lost the essence of WHY we are here in the first place. In my opinion it is NOT to save the earth from us or itself...but to save Peeps from us and ourselves.
Just my opinion. Thank you for your honesty--which is not always easy, but always welcome. It is the only way we get to know ourselves...and others!
Take Care
It may be your blog, Grineroni, but we have to read it. I'm still coming back for more and it looks like some others do also.
I like the joy in your writing. Looking forward to more.
Many blessings,
Marie
what uplifting and entertaining poem!
your image and your words fit, they make a perfect impression on the innocence of kids.
Happy Wednesday!
Steve,
I am looking to see if anyone could help me find some good bloggers, sites, etc to get my video to, it is about the perils of drinking and driving. I am a 9 year recovered alcoholic and my video is quite possibly the best thing you have ever seen about this topic...its a poem, a spoken word piece..
you can see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-mr81_hqWY
please any advice or guidance you can give me thank you.
Timmy Grins
Timmygrins@gmail.com
443.857.8775
peace
Oh Steve so well done. Bravo!
This brought back so many memories of my girls and their first communions. And mine, actually, as I came into the Church the same year my oldest daughter made her first communion. So much has happened since those happy, simple, years... Thank you for bringing back beautiful memories! Wishing you a blessed weekend!
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