Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Matthew 9:14
I have had the great blessing this past week to see this Scripture verse played out in front of me. On Thursday, Molly and I had our first class Mass with a 5th class (meaning 5th grade class) from Scoil Mhuire. We have spent the last couple of weeks working with this classroom on explaining what the Mass is, going over the songs we would be singing, the responses to the Mass, what gifts we would present, what the prayers of the faithful would be, and, most importantly, having some fun.
One of the great things about working with the children in the classroom is the instant feedback they give you. If they’re engaged and you are doing well, you can see it on their faces and hear it in their laughs. If you’re not, there is only blank stares. It has been a lesson in being sincere; there is no faking it with children. You can’t simply put on a smile and expect them to respond with joy. In order to get them excited for the Mass, you have to be excited; in order to have them be joyful, you must first be joyful.
The Mass on Thursday had everything you would expect a children’s Mass to have: the children singing together was adorable, and you could see the grandmother’s practically melt as the children would read and cantor. But most importantly, the children wanted to be there; at the end of the Mass they were excited that they had gone, and wanted to go every week with the Children’s Liturgy Group. It was absolutely amazing to hear their comments, and it really affirmed our presence here and just how important our work in the schools are. In fact, I would say that our work in the schools in the most important work we do, and personally for me the most fulfilling.
One of the fruits of this class Mass has been a realization of what truly counts and matters in the Mass. Its not necessarily whether or not the priest has obeyed the rubrics and instructions; he may or may not. Its not even the choice of music, which will always please some and displease others. Ultimately, what mattered in the Mass for these children is that they were given permission to actively, fully, and to the level they were able, consciously participate in the Mass, raising their hearts and voices to God and encounter Christ in one another and in the Most Holy Sacrament. They might forget the songs, the theology, and as much as it hurts my pride, they might even forget Molly and me. But what they won’t forget is how it felt to be in Mass when they participated; what they won’t forget is their encounter with Christ.
