The Cathedral Through the Eyes of a Child

The days fly by. 

When I am babysitting the children I mentioned in a previous post, it is usually a two-day
stretch, 12 hours per day. I am enjoying my time with them, but find myself exhausted at the end of it; I am not accustomed to the constant vigilance required!

My prayer life returns to normal, of course, when I am not providing child care for them, but both of the children occupy my thoughts quite a bit of the time. I think often of what I might present to the 10-year-old girl by way of religious instruction. 

 
I took her to the Cathedral the other day, which was something she had been looking forward to. We walked down the center aisle, and she was gazing around and asking questions (she never stops asking questions, it seems!). But she was speaking in hushed tones, which surprised and delighted me. We walked up to the first row of pews, and she suddenly asked, "Why are we whispering?!" and giggled a little. I said, "It just feels like a place where you should whisper, doesn't it?" She agreed, and I told her it was appropriate because God is there and Jesus is in the tabernacle, and we show respect that way.

“It's so big!” she exclaimed. “It makes me feel really, really small!” I told her it was supposed to be that, because God is so big.

We talked about genuflecting; she wanted to do it correctly, and found it awkward (she's 10, and a 10-year-old's legs are long in proportion to their torso, and she seems to have especially long legs), but kept trying. Perhaps because of the genuflecting and bowing, she turned to me at one point and said, “So Jesus is our King, isn't he?”

I walked her through a quick Stations of the Cross because, boy-oh-boy, it was hot in there. She was so very touched by the Stations! She was appalled at the description I gave her of what crucifixion actually entails, and the manner in which the person dies. It was clear that she was both sad and horrified that something like that could happen to anyone, let alone Jesus, who she recognized had done nothing wrong. It was enlightening for me to see the Stations through the eyes of an unchurched but sensitive little girl!

Looking back from near the sanctuary up to the choir loft

She wanted to go up in the choir loft, which was surprisingly not as hot as it was down below. She said she loves music and would like to sing in the church choir. Sigh. Too bad they don't sing good music!

I get so much out of sharing the faith with her. At last, someone who doesn't mind listening to me, and who actually asks questions!

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.