CHILDREN AND LITURGY - #1

The two girls were about eleven and nine. The boy was about seven. They showed up every Sunday morning around 9:45 for the 10 o'clock Eucharist. They did not have Sunday clothes. They were poor and unwashed. They always wanted to help. So I figured ways to have them help me get ready for the liturgy. Sometimes I had them put out the bread and wine. Sometimes I asked them to help bring up the gifts. Sometimes they put out the collection baskets or lit the candles.

No one accompanied these children to church. They came by themselves even when it rained or was cold. It took me awhile to figure out why they showed up. But I finally got it. Here are the reasons. First, their apartment was cold; the church was warm. Second, I paid attention to them. Third, others paid attention to them. Fourth, no one fed them breakfast at home. At church they got free donuts and milk. I did too. Fifth, they felt at home. They felt welcome.

These three kids had a hard time sitting still. They had a short attention span. I vividly remember one Sunday in particular. They were really restless. They distracted a number of seasoned worshippers. In fact, a few were poised to let them have it.

Toward the end of the liturgy, after the period of silence after communion, I stood up and prayed the communion oration. Then I noticed a couple of folks breathing fire in the direction of these kids. So I asked everyone to sit down for the announcements.

Then I said the following. "I am sure that you have noticed these three children during the liturgy. I am very aware that a number of you find them distracting. Their behavior is distracting. I can understand your chagrin. Sometimes their movement distracts me. In fact, I am sometimes tempted to correct them. But I know I could not stop to correct them during today's liturgy because that would contradict today's Gospel. In today's Gospel Jesus said, let the little children come to me. I want you to know a few things. The first is that I don't know what to do to help these kids be more attentive to the liturgy. But I do know why they come here every Sunday. They show up because it is warm here. They get free donuts and milk. You have welcomed them and you have let the little children come to you and the Lord. They feel at home here.

I do not think they need a scolding. I think they need us to sit with them, and to be friends with them. There's nothing more that I can say beyond that. However, one thing is for sure. I knew that I could not proclaim that Gospel story and then sternly correct them."

Children are not our future in the church. They are our present. Every parish community needs to figure how to care for our children. How do we show hospitality to our children? How do we nurture their faith. How do welcome them to the table?