Better than Loaves and Fishes

This morning, as my daughter and I entered our Sacred Space, we were surprised to find a tray of cupcakes with a note to see one of the older ladies who was preparing for our parish breakfast. This lady told me that a young girl had dropped off the cupcakes this morning. She had made the cupcakes and thought she would bring them to church because she was coming with her grandmother. The young girl was described to me as about 12 years old, wearing a plaid jacket. I found her before Mass and invited her to join us for our Liturgy of the Word with Children and help distribute this thoughtful treat. I had never met the young girl before.

The Gospel was about Jesus' return to the disciples to help them understand all that they had seen and heard, and to call them to be witnesses.

This week as I pondered and prayed, I wondered, if Christ appeared for supper, what would I serve and what would we talk about? And the most important question: considering the diet that he was accustomed to, what would he think of tacos? 

 Our dialogue homily began as usual with a recounting of what we had heard. Then I asked what the children would serve. Our astute listeners replied very quickly: fish, bread and wine (I was pleased with how well they listened). Note that the children have no plans to drink the wine. Then I asked, “If Jesus came to dinner, would it be an ordinary dinner or a special dinner?” Wisely I was told that that depended on how much notice people had. In today's story he just showed up. 

Then we got to the good stuff: chicken, salad with tomatoes, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, grapes... some offered elaborate descriptions of these meals. One little friend suggested she would have yogurt, but at her grandmother's house in St. Lucia! And finally, for dessert there would be cake or cupcakes.

When asked what they would talk about, the conversation became very quiet. It seems many of our friends thought Jesus would talk with the adults about adult stuff. So I suggested, “What if he sat at the kids' table?”

            

For a moment there was silence—and then a collective ah-ha! Jesus loves children, so of course he would sit at the kid's table. They would talk about school, friends, and stuff. Jesus would tell them to love, share, etc.  Remembering that Jesus lives in each of us, our friends were invited to share in the baked treats provided by our new friend. This was our chance to celebrate Jesus at our table. 

After all was said and done, I continued to wonder about this experience. Late Saturday evening I had told only one person about my plans for what the children would be talking about. Until that moment no one else knew that I planned to talk about dining with Christ. So how did the Spirit find a way to act through our new friend and bring this concept to life? 

 After Mass I brought our only remaining cupcake to our pastor. (Again, how did she know how many cupcakes to bring, if she had never been downstairs with us?)  Our pastor had no idea that we had had our own miracle that was better than loaves and fishes. 

 How marvelous the many ways Jesus chooses to show us that he is indeed risen and living among us. Alleluia!!”

A Little About Heaven

Today I asked the children about Heaven.

These are some of the responses that i heard:

"Heaven is pink"
"There are pink clouds"
"It is kind of cloudy like fog"
"It is always sunny and the sun is very bright"
from one little guy "It is a great big hockey rink"

and my personal favourite...

"Heaven is where Jesus is" 

Look Well

"Look well to this day. 

Yesterday is but a dream and tomorrow is only a vision. 

But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day."

Excerpt from an ancient Sanskrit poem

At Rest

"Have you heard of any one going Home?" was the question. A simple one to which my response was 'no', but soon these words turned into a humbling experience.

Not long after - moments really, I learned that indeed someone had returned Home. But the name was not familiar to me.  When I got home I quickly emailed my friend what I had learned.  To my delight, I got the name right.

Shortly there after, he came to me.  Hockey stick in hand, 'at rest' but not. He was 'bouncing off the walls' of heaven. With innocent excitement he pronounced words of awe. Heaven is a place of 'awesome coolness'.

"I can't wait for my family to see this." he said, bringing tears to my cheeks and huge lump in my throat. Eagerly, he awaits a time when he can share the light of His love with those he left behind on earth. "You really otta see this."

 Heaven is real.  It is not an empty promise but a reality. The boy does not want people to fear heaven but to rejoice in it. He does not want people to be sad but to recognize his rebirth to a new life. Celebrate the life that was, delight in the life that now is.

Humbled.

Hide and Seek

The patterns in melting ice are visible only when you look for them.

Such is our Lord.  When you seek Him, you will find Him.

Passionate about the Passion

We began our Mass with children joining in the procession waking and waving their palms.

When we settled, one of our little friends couldn't wait to tell us about the Passion of Christ.  I humbly submit that he retold the tale better than St. Mark!  His attention to details and animation were Oscar worthy. Then another little friend told us that Christ rode into Jerusalem on a donkey as a symbol that he came in peace, had He ridden a horse it would have meant war.

The  young man who proclaimed the First Reading did so with such meaning and clarity, it was as though I was hearing those words for the first time.  Wither it was his voice or his intonation or the way he place emphasis on certain parts - it was beautiful soul food!

As he finished a guest appeared in our doorway. She led the children outdoors, into a blowing late season snowfall to meet Daisy, a donkey dressed for Passion Sunday.

The children LOVED the experience.  They touched the donkey and fed him apples and carrots.  The group who accompanied the donkey encouraged our children to sing along with them. The parents who were there were amazed by the whole thing.

When we returned, we read the Gospel.  The children then compared the peaceful donkey and Christ's peaceful entry into Jerusalem with the violent events that followed. I couldn't have imagined anything more powerful. Our children are so insightful!!

This evening I got a call at home from a parent whose children are still talking about the donkey!   The magic is spreading.

I do not know how to say thank you enough for this experience.  This was a huge gift of faith to all of us.