Where We Need to Go

"We are in such urgent need of an education toward inwardness. We need to be taught to enter into the heart of things." Joseph Ratzinger

Last Sunday was First Communion Sunday at All Saints. That day is always a beautiful one. The girls had their hair all done in curls and veils, while the boys sported handsome ties and shirts, and some boys even wore full white suits! But even these glorious outside garments displayed only a dim reflection of the disposition of these joyful children.

I just wanted to share a few memories (so I don't forget). Several years ago, a fifth grader named Emma who was receiving her First Communion gave me a gift of a wrist corsage and a card that said, "Don't ever stop doing what you are doing." Memories like these make me want to continue in this work forever.

• Two different parents told me that their child woke on Sunday morning and said, "I have been waiting for this since I was born!" 
• On our retreat the day before First Communion, the children received their First Reconciliation. One of the parents told me that her daughter was so excited about the gift of absolution and being made clean again that she wanted to go again the next day!
• Another child drew this picture during the time of Thanksgiving after Mass on Sunday. I asked her about it and she said that the figures are of her and Jesus. There is a road to hell (that goes up the page), but Jesus is taking her on the road to heaven.

• A boy was a little restless when he began a work called "prayer writing" in the balcony on the retreat. He didn't know what to write. Before long, he had written four prayers. One of them recalled his study of the True Vine during the weeks leading up to this day. He wrote "my fruit is love."
• A catechist observing the sweet responses and the depth of the children's insights wiped her eyes and leaned over to me, asking, "How do you not cry with joy all of the time?" While another catechist poured out her joy at the gift of being able to serve these children who are such a witness of joy.
• One of the presenters at the May parent meetings told me that he had to completely change his presentation because the parents in the class were nothing like he expected. He thought he'd have to talk them into attending Mass regularly and to entering into this experience with their children. The parents completely knocked him over with their faithfulness and joy.

There are many who look at the world and worry about the future, but from the perspective of one who works with young children and their families, I do not worry about the future. I see such a great hope in those little faces. I am confident they will lead us where we need to go.

"Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat;

The calf and the young lion shall browse together,

with a little child to guide them." Isaiah 11:6

On Catholic Guilt

"Ms. Mandie? Is tonight Reconciliation Night?"

I was walking down the hall several years ago just before our Wednesday night session began when a third grade boy named Alex asked if it was the night, once a month, that Father Harris made himself available for children who choose to go to confession.

I responded that it was indeed, and Alex gave me the first of many surprising responses that we have seen since starting Catechesis of the Good Shepherd at our parish for preparation for Eucharist and Reconciliation:

"YES!" he cheered, as he pumped his fist.

I remember how I responded to the news that we were going to confession at CCD classes back in the day. Sweaty palms? Yes. Fist pump? No.

Over the past several years, it is this common and most striking response to the Sacrament of Forgiveness that has made catechists and parents alike comment that something different indeed is going on in the hearts of these children that have been placed in our care.

Catholic guilt doesn't seem to exist for them. They seem to fly to the Sacrament of Reconciliation each month with little fear or trepidation at all. Often the lines are so long that the priest (and sometimes two priests) can't get to all of the penitents in line.

Last week I found this drawing that Adam, a fourth grade boy in our program, made during his personal work time in the atrium. I almost looked past the significance, it was so stunningly simple. Though it had been a year and a half since he'd shared in the True Vine (John 15) bible study while preparing for First Communion and First Reconciliation, this little moral theologian pondered so deeply on the parable of the True Vine that he could articulate his own motivation to keep sin out of his life... and it wasn't because of so-called Catholic Guilt.

"If your [sic] bad, you clog the goodness." 

He realized that he is a branch on that True Vine, and the goodness (grace) flows from God (the Vine) to us (the branches). When we sin, it blocks that goodness. So don't sin! It has nothing to do with being a bad person or feeling great shame. It's about letting the LIFE of GOD flow into you!

The innocent and joyful witness of these children should inspire all of us to get rid of those "sap blocks" in our lives. Let us make confession, do penance, amend our lives, and for goodness' sake, let the grace flow!

A Child Makes Sense of the Eucharist

Several years ago now on First Communion Sunday, according to his custom, Father Harris began his homily by asking the children questions. That particular year, he began simply enough:

"Why are we here today? What are we celebrating?"

An eager child piped in: "We are receiving Jesus."

Father pointed to the back of the church to the bread and wine: "In a little while they are going to bring up the bread and the wine. Is that Jesus? No. It will be placed on the altar, but then something is going to happen. We teach that it is going to become the Body and Blood of Jesus... Well, I have two questions for you: 1) How can that even happen--bread and wine turning in to Jesus' Body and Blood? and two 2) Why would Jesus want to do that?"

As the Director of Religious Education and a catechist, I drew in a deep breath. I mean, I believed we'd prepared the children well for this day, but Father! Those were rather difficult questions for 8 year olds to be answering in front of a couple hundred people! I think their parents were even squirming a little, afraid maybe that the question would be addressed to them next.

An arm shot up.

I saw that it wasn't an 8 year old who raised her hand at all. We had a first grade child that year who begged to be allowed to receive her first communion. She had drawn a picture and written a note to Father Harris letting him know that she felt that Jesus was calling her to receive that year. "How can I refuse this?" He'd said, holding in his hand her drawing of him giving her first communion, with the words "Jesus is calling me" written there.

Father pointed at little Olivia and she stood up so that she would be heard.

"Well," she began boldly, "He can change the bread and wine into the Body and Blood because He is God and He can do whatever He wants."

Good one, I thought, as she took a breath. I wondered how a just-turned-7 year old child would explain something that scholars, theologians, priests, bishops, and popes have taken millenia to carefully present. I might have been holding my breath.

"And," she continued confidently, "Jesus knew that He would be going back into heaven, but He didn't want to leave the people alone without Him, or to never be with people who had not been born yet. So He gave us this gift because He wanted to be with us forever."

Father was speechless, and started walking back to his chair. He said his homily was over because she had just preached it for Him.

Sometimes we adults get a little caught up in the hows and whys and complications of faith. We see evil and we are scandalized, we experience suffering and we are jaded. Is God really there? Does He really love us at all? But that beautiful day in May 2012, the simplicity of a child cut through all of the big words and big ideas and explained the great Sacrament we celebrate this weekend (Corpus Christi) as one simple concept: Love. He wants to be with us. Doesn't that make sense?

"At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will." Luke 10:21

 God's Blessing to you on this Feast of Corpus Christi and always!
Mandie DeVries, Director of Religious Education

The Ninety and The Nine

The third bible study for First Communion/First Reconciliation preparation will take place tonight. This study focuses on two stories: that of the found sheep and of the found coin. Most of the children will have seen these presentations with materials in the course of the year, and they are already familiar with this scripture. 

The direct aim of this evening is to see the parallels and differences between these two parables and for the children to see similarities in their lives. A coin gets lost through no fault of its own, but a sheep may choose to disobey. Sometimes we get lost without being at fault, but sometimes we are lost and far away from where we want to be, and we know that we did something to cause it. 

The emphasis here, though, is not on the fault of the sheep or the coin, but on the action and LOVE of the shepherd and the woman. It is God’s initiative which brings us back, not our own, so we never need to fear confessing our fault—or being found—because it is the will and joy of God that a sinner repents. 

The following video was made for a catechist retreat a couple of years ago. The song is very old, but "His mercies are ever new." 

When those around Him ask the Shepherd: "You have 99 sheep here, are they not enough for you?" He responds with some force, "This of Mine has wandered away from me. And though the road be rough and steep, I go to the desert to find My sheep!"

Mary's Communion Song

So there's a story behind this song.

It was my second year running the First Communion rehearsal, and it was still a disaster.  I mean, the kids were darling and sweet, but as I was trying to teach them the proper way to receive our Lord, I sounded like a very confused square dance caller.

"First you step in to the aisle and walk forward. Wait! Hold your hands prayerfully! We're not in line for McDonald's! Okay, now we prepare our hands (or our tongue).. Now you receive and you make a Sign of the Cross. What? Oh! Don't forget to BOW!"

It didn't get much better from there.  As I was driving home, I thought of how much more I wanted these children to remember WHO they are receiving versus thinking only about HOW to receive.  I pulled in the driveway in the dark and had my head down, but I could see the Mary statue in the front of our garage.

Mary, is there some way I can simply teach these gestures so that the focus is your Son?  Help me to get out of the way!

The next thing I knew I started singing this song... "I walk in a line with my hands in prayer..."  It must have been her special desire to answer this prayer for how quickly the song came to mind. I was able to teach the song to the children the next night!

Since a friend recorded me singing it and put it on YouTube, I've had requests from places as close as Missouri and as far away as Japan and South Africa find me and ask for the song.  A friend has helped me with the music. I am providing it here.  My only request is that if you use it, you leave a comment as to where you are from! It's fun to see how far good news travels!

God Bless,

Mandie DeVries, Level III Catechist and All Saints Parish DRE

p.s. By the way--if your parish or children in your parish receive on the tongue, you can change the words to: "I walk in a line with my hands in prayer, bow to my Lord who is present there."

p.p.s. If you would like a .pdf, please let me know and I'll send it to you! Thanks!

Here is a video of the children singing it!