Sunday, May 3 @ 10:00 AM
St. Augustine Cathedral

Boys and girls,

First, let me begin by saying how proud we are of you today. You have studied, prayed, and prepared yourselves for this beautiful day in your life. Every single one of us in this church is proud of you.

But now I have to ask you a question. Ready?

What is your favorite food? Tell me.

Pizza? Who thinks pizza is their favorite food? Raise your hands. Adults, you can join in if you want.

What else? Sushi? That’s very healthy. Wow, I’m impressed.

What’s your favorite food? Pasta? Ah, for me, I agree—pasta. What else?

Rice? Also healthy. One more. What is your favorite food?

Crossroads? I’ve never heard of it! Oh, good for you.

Now, who likes candy?

Do you know what my favorite food is?

You can guess. You have three chances.

First guess? Pasta? No, not number one.

Second guess? Chicken? No. I do like chicken, though, but it’s not number one.

One last chance. What do you think?

Bread? Close.

My favorite food in the whole wide world is Oreos.

And boys and girls, when I went to St. Mary’s School in Ridgefield, where Deacon Rick serves, the school children gave me twelve packs of Oreos. That’s six hundred Oreos. And I will tell you—they were delicious.

Now pay attention. I asked you that question for a reason.

Oftentimes, the foods we like are the foods we search for. They’re sweet, delicious, and we eat as much of them as we can. Correct?

But today, you came here to eat.

You came to church for the first time in your life to come forward and receive something unlike anything else in the world.

What are you going to receive?

You are going to receive God.

What else? Tell me.

Yes—the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, who is God.

And what will I give you?

What will it look like?

Bread.

And look—it’s this small.

Now boys and girls, will it be sweet like candy? No. Will it taste like chocolate, like an Oreo? No. Will it taste like pizza? No.

But is it more important than all of those foods?

Yes.

Because by receiving it, you are not receiving something—you are receiving Someone, Jesus Himself.

And every Sunday, if you come to Mass, you will be able to receive Him, because He wants to feed you—not just your stomach, because that little piece of what looks like bread will not fill your stomach.

He wants to feed your heart, your spirit, your mind, and your soul.

He wants to bless your hands, your voice, your eyes, and your ears.

Jesus is coming to you so that you may know how much He loves you—that He will never leave you alone, and that He will always be there as your best friend living within you.

And there is one other thing He will give you today.

He will give you a promise.

Jesus says, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live forever.”

So boys and girls, today, by coming to Holy Communion for the first time—and hopefully every Sunday after—Jesus is promising you a place in heaven, a life that will never end.

That is what we celebrate.

And what’s strange is that many times, if a Christian is asked, “What is your favorite food?” they will answer: Oreos, pizza, pasta, candy, chicken, bread, rice.

But what is the real answer we should give?

What is the food that truly matters? The food that gives us life and hope and peace?

Tell me—what is our favorite food?

Which bread?

Holy Eucharist. Holy Communion.

And I pray, boys and girls, that today, as you come forward to receive Holy Communion and Jesus comes to live in you in a new way—blessing you and promising you eternal life—you will remember today and every day that your favorite food is Holy Communion.

Congratulations, boys and girls, and may God bless you all the days of your life, through Christ our Lord.

Amen.