3 Year Olds, Special Blessings, and the Eucharist

“Jesus said, ‘Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,’” (Matthew 19:14). 

It was a special evening Mass for the feast of the Immaculate Conception at my church – for all of the adults and children who had to work or went to public school and couldn’t go that morning. I was asked to be a Eucharistic Minister, so I happily did. As I was distributing Communion, this little girl toddled up to our priest.

He asked her, “How old are you?”

 “Three,” she responded. 

He thanked her for coming to Mass, and gave her a special blessing. Then, as he was about to give Communion to her dad behind her, she looked right up at him and yelled, “I want one of those!” 

He smiled and told her that she had to wait a few more years. Then, quieter, she said, “I want one.” She looked and sounded so amazed. Fr. Henry explained that it is Jesus, that he loves her so much, and that, once she got a little bigger, she’d be able to receive Him too. Then her dad received Communion and they went back to the pew. 

This little girl, though, was able to see God in a place many grown Catholics have forgotten. The Eucharist truly is Jesus, not just a symbol. It becomes Jesus, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity during Mass, while the priest prays the Eucharistic prayer during the Consecration. This girl was able to see that, and exhibited that childlike faith we are called to have. 

“‘Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven,’” (Matthew 18:3). 

This is exactly what that means. Children are not fully exposed to the world and the doubt it exposes us to, the lack of God it has. This is why we’re supposed in the world, not of it; the lack of faith and morals our world has leaves a terrible impact on everyone. Jesus truly is present in the Eucharist, and He’s waiting on you to believe it. Next time you go to Mass and receive Communion, all of the Catholics reading this, open yourself up to God and He will show you this. Give Him permission to show you who He is. 

If you aren’t Catholic, we invite you to come up and receive a blessing instead. Because we believe that it is truly the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, you have to be Catholic to receive.