The World of Grandpa Don

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As I entered church the sound of young voices greeted me. The preceding week had been the annual Vacation Bible School and as usual that meant a group of the children were at Sunday Mass to sing the bible songs they learned. It is amazing! These kids, as young as four years, soak up the words and the melodies and sing out with enthusiasm that goes to their feet, hands and even their fingers. It's is like being at a Baptist revival meeting. Some SPIRIT was brought to our Mass that day.

But that is not all that struck me that morning. Just before the readings and homily, the children are invited to go to a separate room for "Children's liturgy", readings of the day tailored to their young minds. This day there were even more kids than usual. They usually return immediately after the homily but on this day they were a little late.

They came streaming back into the church as the "Offertory" of the Mass was well under way. How appropriate! The gifts of bread and wine had been brought to the presider and then came the children. These children who are gifts from God come into the worship space as offerings to God.

What could be better than offering our children to God. Bringing them to church so they can learn of Him and know that He loves them.

We offer our children to God when we bring them up in an atmosphere of love, caring and sacrifice, a home in which the family members respect each other and their neighbors. We offer our children to God when we bring them to adulthood with God's values and not the culture of greed and selfishness.

They are our offerings to God when they grow to responsible adults who will carry on the work of Jesus in their work, relationships with others and pass these values to their children.

It is the task of parents, grandparents, and all adults, to live their lives in such a way that the children know that God's way is the right way. It is when they are in their formative years, the very early years, that they learn, no absorb and assimilate, the values of those who care for them and are their heroes.

Let us offer the children to God as is fitting, to someone who has provided such precious gifts.

Don Plefka
7/20/03

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