Personally, I would find it very easy to write a long list of the many “gifts” contained in this vocation. Numbered among that list would be: “leading children in prayer.”
About two weeks ago I was doing just that. I was in front of a group of about twelve children between six and ten years old praying with the scriptures. The gospel I chose was Mark 10: 13-16:
“People were bringing little children to Jesus in order that He might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.” And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.”
I read the passage, gave a few seconds of silence, and then asked them to picture the scene as I vocalized a few “I wonder” questions…
“ I wonder why the children wanted to go to Jesus?”…“I wonder what they did when they came to Him?”…“I wonder why Jesus wanted the children to come to Him?”
After three or four alternations of the reading, silence, question, and silence again, I asked my final little prompt:
“How would you respond to Jesus?”
Again, I left another moment of silence. With the sign of the cross made and our prayer time ended, I thanked them for their attentiveness and gave the reminder that if they wanted to share, they could raise their hand. Each answer which followed was beautiful, but it was the answer to the final question which struck me the most. This may sound funny, but it stood out to me because it was such a common, frequent answer in our little prayer times:
(Q) “How would you respond to Jesus?”
(A) “I would say ‘thank you.’”
“I would say thank you”… over the last semester I realized that this is usually the response of our younger children in prayer. The older ones tend to ask for help, or a grace, but our little “Upper Room Tutoring” members will usually simply respond with “thank you” to God. As the weeks have passed, I’ve realized that perhaps their answer is naturally this simple because they knew that in going to Jesus they were going to receive something good. They were going to, responding to, someone who is good. They knew they were going to someone who loved them…
(Q) “I wonder why Jesus wanted the children to come to Him?”
(A) “To love them.”… “So that the children may follow Him.”…“To protect them.”…
“To bless them.”
These twelve children knew that they were responding to a God who loved, protected, blessed, guides and calls them. Within their “thank you” was their simple and confident “yes” to Him.
Their sincere answer came to mind during Mass the following morning as the priest prayed: “It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere give you thanks, Lord, Holy Father, almighty and eternal God…” At the moment just before we receive the most precious gift possible – Our Lord truly present in the Holy Eucharist – the only words which would be a fitting response are “thank you.” As a good mother, our Holy Mother Church was placing that response now on my lips, reminding me of the childlike confidence and humility contained therein, and teaching me how to be a little bit closer to those to whom “the kingdom of God belongs.”
May our thanksgiving to God go even beyond this beautiful “Thanksgiving weekend” and truly be a response which is said “Always and Everywhere.”
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sr. Rosa Ines, CFR