"When we had our children, our ideas changed somewhat. Thenceforward we lived only for them; they made all our happiness and we would never have found it save in them. In fact, nothing any longer cost us anything; the world was no longer a burden to us. As for me, my children were my great compensation, so that I wished to have many in order to bring them up for Heaven" -- Saint Zelie Martin, mother of St. Therese of Lisieux, canonized October 18, 2015 along with her husband St. Louis Martin.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Living the Liturgy as a two year old

My two year old daughter was pretty well traumatized at the prospect of receiving the St. Blaise blessing a few Sundays back.  She cowered from the priest, who suggested I "include her in my intentions" as I received my blessing. After that, every time we went to church, she said "no neck! no neck" because, of course, the blessing entails the crossed candles being placed over the neck.

Then Ash Wednesday came around.  I did not tell my daughter about the ashes, hoping she'd just get caught off guard and receive them before she knew what was happening (which is exactly what happened). I worried that she would start to cry or scream, but she just looked extremely confused and passed her hand over her forehead, smearing the ashes before she walked back to our pew.

A bit later it was time to receive communion. We left our pew as a family and lined up in the back of church. My daughter clearly thought it was time to go home, and when she realized we were going back to the front of church, she looked up to my husband and I and said in total dismay "another one?!"


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