What a gift Jesus has given us. He has placed into our hands and our lives the gift of himself. It is such a joy to welcome to the altar of the Lord those young folk in our midst who will receive this gift for the first time. I remember making my First Holy Communion back when I was seven. I wanted to give something back to Jesus and to his Church. It was then that I felt the calling to be a priest. Parents, as your young ones receive our Lord, encourage them to make a gift of themselves back to him. The best gift they can make is to love Jesus and to love all our brothers and sisters because they are his brothers and sisters as well.

May God bless all these sons and daughters of God who receive our Lord in Communion for the first time.

+ Earl Boyea, Bishop of Lansing