True First Communion Stories
Little Cyril

Cyril had yellow curls, big blue eyes and a sweet smile. His mother had sent him to school at the early age of four because at home he was always getting into mischief. When Cyril first met the children at the school, they quickly took a liking to him. On the playground, the children offered him sweets until Sister warned them that too many good things would make the boy sick. Cyril loved the attention and was not shy in the least. In school he was a very good boy and was interested in all that Sister told him. He tried to do all the school work that was given to him.

Cyril’s home was a good half-hour’s walk from the school. He had been told that he must never go out of the playground until his mother or nurse came to get him. Twice, he had run away from his nurse, so after school he was watched very carefully until his mother came.

At first everything went well. Cyril enjoyed school life, and he was not spoiled by all the attention he received. He was not in a hurry to leave and waited to be taken home. But one day his mother was late and nearly all the other children had gone. Only Cyril and three other children had remained on the playground with one of the mistresses.
Once or twice Cyril ran to look if his mother or his nurse were coming, but when he didn’t see them, he continued playing. Suddenly one girl fell down and scraped her knee. The mistress took the girl with her to bathe her knee. Before leaving, she told the other children to play quietly until someone came to pick them up or until she had returned.

But no sooner had she left the playground when Cyril ran to look for his mother. There was nobody on the street so Cyril thought he should go to meet his mother, and immediately he set out.

Five minutes later his mother arrived, but by that time the other children were gone and the playground was empty. Questions were asked, but no one knew what happened to Cyril. Cyril’s mother was very upset that her little boy was missing. She set out to look for him, up one street and down another, and then back home to see if somehow he had arrived there. The boy’s father even went to ask at the police station to see if they had seen Cyril. His nurse started out once more towards the school. Then, just as they were wondering what to do next, in walked Cyril with a smile on his face.

Hiding her great joy, his mother greeted the little boy with a scolding: “You naughty boy!” she exclaimed. “How could you run away from school like that? Now I must punish you to make you remember to do what you are told.”

After the punishment, Cyril’s mother tried to make him understand how naughty and disobedient he had been. “Have I not told you over and over again that you may never go into the streets alone?” she said.

“I didn’t go alone,” Cyril replied, “My guardy angel walked aside me all the time.”

“Who?” said his mother, not understanding him.

“My guardy angel. Sister said he was always at my side.”

“Yes, that is true,” answered his mother, “but I told you to wait for me, or nurse, and it makes your guardian angel very sad when he sees you disobey.”

So Cyril promised his mother that he would never again go home until someone came to get him.

The next morning when Cyril’s mother told Sister all about the boy walking home by himself, the nun replied, “His guardian angel certainly took care of him in a wonderful way. Imagine a little fellow of four years old finding his way all that distance, and crossing busy streets too!”

About a year after this, Cyril was chosen to play the part of the Infant Jesus in a school concert. He was dressed in a white robe trimmed with gold and a golden halo was fixed behind his head. It was after this event that Cyril took a great interest in his Catechism lessons. He was always wanting to know more about the Child Jesus, when He was a boy. Cyril felt that since he had played the part of the Child Jesus in the concert, he ought to be more like Jesus in his daily life. He would sometimes ask Sister, “What would little Jesus do if He were me now?”

The next year when the First Confession class was formed, Cyril begged so hard to be allowed to join, that Sister gave him permission. Although he was only six years old, he soon learned the prayers and was able to answer all the questions asked of the children. When the final day came, Cyril made his First Confession with the other children, and also joined them in the First Communion class.

Little Cyril was delighted—for he knew that soon he would be able to receive Little Jesus in Holy Communion. Yes, Little Jesus, Whom he loved so dearly, would soon be coming into his heart. Jesus would be able to help him become a better Catholic!

When Sister would teach the First Communion class, Cyril’s eyes would shine with delight—how he longed for the day when Jesus would come into his heart. But Cyril’s mother did not approve of the boy making his First Holy Communion at all. Confession was all very well, she thought, but Holy Communion was a different matter. She said, “I was twelve years old when I received my First Communion, and I was able to understand what I was doing. If Cyril made his First Communion while he was so young, he would forget all about his First Communion Day!”

Sister told Cyril’s mother, “It is the wish of the Pope that children should receive Our Lord before they have soiled their souls with any big sin. By the strength received in Holy Communion these little children would be kept from ever committing many sins that other children fall into so often. And remember how Our Lord rebuked St. Peter for trying to keep the little ones away from Him? Our Lord longs to dwell within Cyril, so why wait until his innocent little soul has been stained with sin before you allow Jesus to enter it?”

Cyril’s mother thought that her boy would not understand what he was doing, and to this Sister replied, “Cyril understands quite well that it is Jesus he will receive under the appearance of bread, and that is all that is really required, though of course he knows a great deal more.”

Then Cyril was called into the room and the nun asked him many questions about Holy Communion. The boy answered all the questions very well. When Sister told him that his mother thought that he was too young to make his First Holy Communion, he turned towards his mother, his eyes filled with tears. “Oh mother!” he said, “You won’t keep me away from Little Jesus, will you? I will be so good. Sister, do ask mother to let me make my First Communion!”

His mother was surprised at his eagerness, and went away promising to think it over again. Then, every day, Cyril asked his mother to let him make his First Holy Communion. Finally his mother agreed and Cyril was made happy.

After his First Holy Communion, Cyril went to Communion as often as his mother would let him. He still had his little faults, but he never lost the great desire to be just like Little Jesus. He tried so hard to be good that he was loved by all, both at home and at school.

Do you realize how important Holy Communion really is? Do you prepare yourself to make a good Holy Communion? Do you try to make a very good Confession—when you go, and do you try hard to overcome some of your faults after you have gone to Confession? If you do these things Jesus, Mary and your Guardian Angel will be very pleased with you. And don’t forget to ask them for help, many times a day!

The End