We sang as the last hymn of the First Communion mass today. Most of the time, most of us did not sing because the choir sang, and because we didn't know the words of the hymns. But this hymn, "Allelulia, sing to Jesus", is a hymn that a couple of my singing relatives know, and did they sing out with grins on their faces at the wordsAllelulia, sing to Jesus
"thunder like a mighty flood"They loved it. Mind you, I love their singing.
It was a lovely ceremony, with just ten children taking their First Communion at a Blackfriars family mass in Oxford. The children concentrated on the mass, not sitting with their families but at the front, like guests of honour. After the mass, they were presented not only with certificates, but also with a set of rosary beads each, and advised to bring them the next two visits because one of the Dominicans was going to do something with them. I love that idea, not just giving a relevant gift, but helping the children to see it as more than just a pretty trinket, but as something to help them develop further spiritually.
What a lucky little relative we have who belongs to such a church community.
