OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF BABES

Yesterday, our Catechetical Year began with Parent/Child Meetings for our Level 1 children. I love working with the little ones. After a brief talk and prayer with the parents and children, we bring the children upstairs where I gather with them around the Baptismal Font in the vestibule. After we discuss why we bless ourselves with Holy Water upon entering church, we line the children up in pairs at the inner doors of the church and I ask them what they see.

Of course, the first thing they see is "the big table." As I explain that we call that table the altar, I tell the children that when we come to mass it is just like when we have a fancy dinner at home. At home, the food we eat strengthens our body. At mass, the food we receive strengthens our soul. And, like that fancy party, when mom's best table cloth comes out, candles may be lit, and flowers may be put on the table...at church, too we have a fancy tablecloth, special candles, and flowers. Mass, is the fancy party where we celebrate Jesus...and...our friendship with Him.

Still, as we stand by the entrance, I point out the gold box on the wall behind the altar. I tell the children that in the Catholic faith we use many BIG words to describe things. I explain that I think we use such big words to try to show the "big-ness" of God. I tell them that the gold box is called a Tabernacle...a big word that means..."little house." And, in that "little house" is Jesus. And, we know He is always there because the little red candle by the Tabernacle is always lit. I explain that Jesus is present there in the form of the host...the small hosts that have been blessed at mass...and a larger one that is always there, too.

I tell them that when we enter a church we must do so in a special...quiet...way to show that we know that God...Jesus...is there. One of my young helpers leads the way into the church and demonstrates for the children how they must genuflect when they reach their row...their pew. I then send the children in...two by two...to quietly, and reverently take their seats.

Once we are all inside, I ask the children if they have any questions about the things they see. The Level 1 boys and girls yesterday were exceptional. They asked about the "trophies" in the case. I have to admit, the bottles of holy oils in the cabinet...do...look like "trophies" from a distance. And, they are in a way "trophies" of our faith. When "-trophy" is used as a suffix it means " a condition of nutrition or growth." How smart was the child who called the holy oils used in Baptism, Confirmation, and the Anointing of the Sick..."trophies!"

One little girl asked why Jesus was nailed to that cross. I explained that Jesus came to teach us a new way. He was a king but not one with a palace...gold...or...jewels. As people began to follow him, the kings with the palaces, gold, and jewels got worried because they thought Jesus was going to take their place. They didn't understand. I pointed out the tapestry of the Stations of the Cross on the far wall, and explained how Jesus was arrested, carried His cross, fell, nailed to the cross and died.

But, that the story did not end there, that God raised Jesus from the dead and that proved that everything He had said was true...that love is the true treasure...and...that Jesus rising from the dead, and God's great love for us is what we celebrate at the party...the mass...each and every Sunday!

Before the parents came upstairs, the children asked about the stained glass windows and what they depicted, and, we ended with a prayer for the new year followed by an Our Father. At that point, the children got up to go with my young helper to get a better look at the window of the Good Shepherd and receive their gift...a children's mass book.

As she walked over to the window with the other boys and girls...the little six year old girl in pink, who had asked about Jesus on the cross...looked over her shoulder at me and said, "I still don't understand why they had to kill Him! Couldn't they have just asked Him to sit down and explain it all a little better?"

Out of the mouths of babes!

So, my dear friend, co-worker, brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle, cousin...neighbor...my challenge to YOU today is this:

Rather than crucify that person YOU are having issues with...

Why don't YOU take the advice of my little friend in pink?

Ask them to sit down with YOU...and...explain it all a little better!

Are YOU up to that challenge?

IS IT A "NEED" OR MERELY A "WANT?" IT REALLY MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE!

This week, I have found myself saying over and over again: "If we would just set our priorities straight, and properly distinguish between what we NEED and what we simply WANT, the world would be a better place!!"

Over the last couple of weekends 90 boys and girls received First Holy Communion. Next weekend 5 more boys and girls in our Spanish community will receive for the first time as well.

The pastor requests that the congregation refrain from taking pictures during the mass. We have a photographer who takes a picture of each child as father elevates the host in front of them. Usually, this goes very smoothly and after the pictures are taken, I crop them and bring them to our local wholesale club where I purchase 3 5x7 pictures of each child. These are presented to the families with the certificates and crosses at the parish celebration we hold for the children the weekend after first communions.

Unfortunately, this year, the photographer had equipment problems. Our pastor and the photographer were very accommodating, and new pictures were taken of the children affected by the malfunction, at the parish celebration mass. After mass, when everyone went downstairs for coffee and cake, and to pick up the pictures and certificates, I found out that one child's pictures were missing.

I told the mom, who was very upset, that I had all the pictures on the disk the photographer had given me and, we could look through that during the week to find her child. She wanted to do it then and there Saturday evening. The problem was I don't have the software in my office to work on the pictures. That is something I do in my spare time at home. Hence, the disk was not at church with me.

Mom was not a happy camper, to say the least.

I brought the disk in on Monday, and on Tuesday morning mom came in to the secretary, but, unfortunately, there was no picture of her child on the disk. When I got into the office, there was a voicemail message from a very annoyed mom saying she "NEEDED" the picture of her son!?

I really do understand mom's frustration; however, we NEED God, we NEED sustenance, we NEED relationship, we NEED love, we NEED a roof over our head, we NEED a job to sustain ourselves...we DO NOT NEED PICTURES.

Mom WANTS a picture...I understand the desire; but, NEED is a strong term used indiscriminately in our day to day life.

Today, I did come up with a solution with dad, and with the pastor's help we will recreate the original scene and mom will get a picture. No problem really, and such a small thing to get so worked up over.

Now, last night I held our End of the Year Catechist meeting. Again, I was reminded of how we skew "NEED" and "WANT" in our day to day lives.

I teach the Level 8 Confirmation class. It has been this way for 8 years and, I have no plan of changing it any time soon. I enjoy working with the boys and girls and, more importantly I know that I get through to them.

So, in preparation for last night's meeting, I put together the Level 8 calendar and syllabus. Because, our celebration of Confirmation will be held in March, I arranged with our Music Minister for a music rehearsal at one of our last classes. I also have a CD of the music we use in the celebration that I play each week as the boys and girls gather to help familiarize them with the music.

Mostly, however, I teach the boys and girls about the virtues, the Acts of Mercy, respect life issues, social justice issues, and chastity. Level 8 is a well rounded faith experience for our young people complete with guest speakers, retreat, and my favorite experience: The Hunger Banquet.

After I had distributed the calendar, one of the catechists walked over to another and began a hushed exchange. Soon, she turned to me and said: "We just changed your schedule!"

My reply was, "No, You Did Not!"

The catechist explained that we would be singing with the boys and girls each week so that on the day of Confirmation they would know the songs.

(REALLY, WE WOULD?!? Quite a declaration from a person who will be facilitating Level 8 for the very first time...has no clue as to how the program is organized...and, oh yes...IS NOT THE DRE!!)

I told her and her compatriot that we would NOT. That class is 45 minutes long, and I have much to impart to the boys and girls in that limited amount of time.

Again, what is NEEDED and what is WANTED are two very different things.

Part of the problem, is time; part of the problem is that the boys and girls are not interested in singing...are not members of their school chorus...and, most importantly are at an age where they do not want to appear foolish in front of their peers.

I understand this; apparently, my catechist has forgotten how difficult it is to be in eighth grade.

The other part of the problem is the same as the problem I see with weddings: I am preparing the boys and girls for a life of confirmed faith NOT a one hour celebration where they smile, or in this case sing "purty" and get big bucks at the party afterward!!

While I too, might WANT to hear the boys and girls sing as if they were in High School Musical XXVIII, we do NOT NEED for them to perfectly lift their voices in song.

What we NEED is for them to lift their lives in service as committed, confirmed Catholic young people!

That will not be accomplished by replacing sound faith formation with singing lessons.

The difference between "NEED" and "WANT" is really very simple; and yet, it is an unclear understanding of this difference that colors our vision of our world, each other, and our faith!

So, how are YOU doing today?

Are YOU struggling to attain your NEEDS?

Or, could YOU make your life easier with a reevaluation of your WANTS?

It really is THAT SIMPLE!!

"SAINT MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL DEFEND US IN BATTLE. BE OUR PROTECTION AGAINST THE WICKEDNESS AND SNARES OF THE DEVIL..."

Those who see dollar signs where there are NONE; those who value money more than human relationships; and, those who justify hurting others because of their own past hurts are NOT of God.

Love of worldly goods and love of retribution, over love of one another, is of Satan and his minions, NOT of God and his Church.

Let us all remember: Satan DID NOT CREATE God.

GOD CREATED he who became Satan.

Satan and his minions WILL NEVER OVERCOME God and the God loving!

GOD AND THE GOD LOVING WILL ALWAYS OVERCOME SATAN AND HIS MINIONS!

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live...." Deuteronomy 30:19