I remember last year when I was volunteering for the Children’s Liturgy at St. Mary’s Cathedral, the topic was following God’s commandments. We asked the children, “how do we show God we love Him?”. The children answered one by one:
“Be kind to everyone”
“Kiss your mom and dad”
“Say please and thank you”
“Take care of your siblings”
“Share your crayons”
I will never forget how I felt as I listened to these four to 10 year old kids answer a question we as adults have already complicated in the midst of our busy lives. We seem so distracted that we forget how to love simply. How simple and pure is the faith of a child!
I was the assistant teacher for today’s Children’s Liturgy at my parish. My heart was so full. I realized then that this ministry I volunteer for brings me so much joy and is kind of like a safe, happy place for me. In the beginning, the kids sang the “Sorry Song” and I was sitting in the back, holding back tears as they sang this short song:
Dear Lord Jesus, hear our prayer,
As we bring to you our cares
Please forgive us any wrongs,
As we sing our sorry song
Help us to be kind each day
In our thoughts and in all we say.
How fitting that today we are celebrating Pentecost. The manifestation of God’s love through the Holy Spirit. It is through the Holy Spirit that we are able to love, to forgive, to ask for mercy and when we let the Holy Spirit descend in our hearts, our faith can be as pure and wholehearted like that of a child – only wanting to please the Father, only wanting to love like Love itself.
Alodia