May 15, 2021, will be a day to remember for 11-year-old Caio Henrique Nagel Vieira. It was the day he made his First Communion and felt the love of Jesus in a special, stronger way within his heart.
In fact, during the Mass, which took place in St. Agnes parish, in Balneário Camboriú (southern Brazil), the boy was moved to tears when he received Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time.
According to a testimony published on the parish website, “while Caio was crying, a catechist, also with teary eyes, arrived, hugged him and kissed his head. She’s Patricia Nagel Vieira who, besides being a catechist, is also Caio’s mother.”
“Jesus hugged me”
Caio “can’t describe exactly what he felt.” However, he said that at the moment of the consecration, “he first remembered the movie The Passion of the Christ and asked forgiveness for the sins of humanity and for all that Jesus suffered for us.” And he wept.
Then, at the time of Communion, the boy went towards the altar with a feeling of happiness, with his eyes fixed on the altar. After receiving the Eucharist, he knelt down and broke into tears of emotion again. According to ACI Digital Catholic news agency, the boy felt that Jesus was embracing him.
In an interview with ACI Digital, the boy’s mother said that for her, witnessing that moment “was wonderful, as a mother and a catechist … I was very happy for him and for God. That’s what we want for all children, that they love God,” Patricia said.
Looking forward to his First Communion
According to Patrícia, Caio comes from a “very religious family.” They have raised him in the faith since he was a little boy. During Lent, the boy made his preparation for Easter together with his mother, who said,
“During the Masses, he paid attention to what the priest said and commented, ‘Look, mom, this is just as we learned in catechism.’ Then he would say that he wanted to go to confession and be clean so that he could receive the Eucharist at Easter. But I told him to be patient, because the day of the first Eucharist was coming.”
When the day came, Caio couldn’t hold back his tears as his dream came true!
“The sight of him has touched people, some of whom had already gotten used to the Eucharist. I didn’t expect this. But Jesus is reaching some people through him,” said his mother.
Caio continues his routine, already “anxious to meet Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass every weekend.” What a moving reminder to us all of Christ’s loving gift in the Eucharist!
And today we celebrate...