Reconciliation

In preparation for The Sacrament of Reconciliation, my son Ethan has been attending classes for months.  Last night, all of the children and their families gathered at church for the culmination of their lessons.  We sat and listened while the priest spoke of the importance of this sacrament and gave the children their instructions.  While the students formed lines to wait for their first reconciliation, the families were left to their own devices.

The weekly choir practice had just disbanded and the now silent church had an awkward air.  Before taking leave, the choir director also appeared to have noticed the suddenly uncomfortable silence and turned on a CD player.  Now the sound of solemn chanting circulated around the sanctuary.  Monks!

Meanwhile, my three-year-old son was busy coloring in the pew beside us.  When he turned the page of his activity book he found himself staring at a picture of Elmo with something scrawled across it's face.  The words my oldest son had written barely registered in my brain before Logan recognized what they said and his echoing cry reverberated around the room.

"Elmo sucks!"

Oh, heaven help us.

- 30 November 2011