Well, I must begin by humbly admitting that I don’t believe I’m qualified to answer this question. As someone who fully can relate to author Anne Lamott when she says “I have thought such awful thoughts that I cannot even say them out loud because they would make Jesus want to drink gin straight out of the cat dish” I’m afraid I am forced to disqualify myself from feigning any surety about of what is “most important” to share with our little ones about God. In fact, my first instinct is to listen to them instead. I think children more often than not have a better ear and connection to what is most essential and true about God than we do with our heavy ideologies and “beliefs.”
However, I will say, I think Pope Francis is really on to something…something that the old and young, churched and un-churched, alike recognize unquestionably as “God.” And that would be Mercy. Pope Francis actually wrote a book called The Name of God is Mercy in which he, as you might guess, repeatedly says “God is Mercy.” End of sentence. No qualifications. No exceptions. If its not merciful, it is not of God. Period.
And Jesus is mercy incarnate – or embodied. That is the good news that we celebrate on this great feast day of Christmas. That God loved us so much that He came to be with us right in our very own history to show us the way out of our darkness. To show us that we had him pegged all wrong. He wasn’t some kind of judgmental fascist demanding obedience, aloof and removed from us, on some golden throne up in heaven. Rather, he came to us as a poor, vulnerable baby; a refugee born in a humble barn with not so much as a bed. The light of the world slept his first night in a feeding trough. There is no softer entrance He could have made into our troubled world.
Jesus would one day teach us to call God “Daddy.” He would tell us that there is no sin that is beyond God’s mercy or that can’t be healed by love. He would instruct us to love one another. He encouraged us, as church, to be a safe place for all to come because he knew we most profoundly encounter the mercy of God when we are broken and our wounds are gently bound and healed like at a hospital. So that out of gratitude we may go on to become wounded healers ourselves. I think this is what I most want my children to know about God and recognize here about “being” church.
I hope you have heard this good news today and that you will come back and pray with us. We are offering a special welcome to new members on Sunday, Jan. 22nd at 12:30pm for those of you kicking around the idea of reconnecting. It includes a very brief overview of our CTR history and vision and time to answer any questions you may have about getting your kids “caught up” on all the sacraments, etc.
I write this little “Crazy Catholic Question” column for the bulletin each week, so please consider submitting a question of your own to me at dre@ctredeemer.org. There are no topics that are off-limits or questions too scandalous to ask. Read past columns at crazycatholicquestions.blogspot.com.
I sincerely hope you and your family enjoy the rest of this holy season. Without exception, your ideas, good-spirit and unique theological point of view are valued and very welcome here. And please don’t forget to bring your broken bits too…those are most important.
- Lisa Brown, Director of Religious Education
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