Furthermore…

The highlight of my week is attending the Tuesday morning childrens’ liturgy for the students of our parish school.  They are so unbelievably well behaved, attentive, reverent, fresh-faced and attractive in their neatly pressed uniforms. And then there’s the music program, featuring their pure young voices singing lovely sacred songs.

This week I watched with fascination as, going up for the blessing of the children who have not yet received their First Communion, a tiny uniformed school girl turned around and studied an even tinier baby boy behind her, alongside his mom. The baby had a pacifier in his mouth and lurked safely behind Mom, while still being a little curious about this “big” girl who was showing so much interest in him. But the line had to move along, and the budding friendship never blossomed.

I don’t know if the priests realize it, but in my judgement their homilies for the childrens’ mass are their best, a cut above what they deliver to the dour grownups. Maybe it’s due to the rapt attention and total acceptance they receive from the fresh young faces.  Maybe it’s because there is a lot of interaction with the rapt children, asking questions, passing a microphone from one kid to another. Some of their answers, although unsophisticated and untheological, are touching in their simple search after doing the right thing.

Maybe, too, the priests draw an extra bit of inspiration from having the chance to affect such pure, ready minds!