The following is an excerpt from Catherine Maresca's book, DoubleClose: The Young Child's Knowledge of God. In Catherine's book, Part One explores the characteristics of young children, their potential for a rich relationship with God, and how young children know God and communicate that knowledge to observant adults. Part Two features responses of young children to the Bible or the liturgy, followed by a reflection that nurtures the reader's own relationship with God. This posting is from Part Two of the book. All names of children were changed, unless they are Catherine's own children.
We invite you to add your own reflections to this child's response, using the comments space below this post.
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Henry, age four, was working at the model altar with Rob, his catechist. When he lit the candles Rob announced, "Christ has died. Christ is risen." Henry's next remark focused on the death of Jesus. So Rob said again, "He rose from the dead." Henry was quiet and then asked, "God put a Band-aid on him?"
Theological Reflection
For the young child, a Band-aid is a sign of healing and comfort. Children with a small hurt of any kind often ask for a Band-aid, and then return happily to their activities, confident that their injury is now in good hands. With a more significant cut, children have begun to witness with wonder that under a Band-aid a cut becomes new skin in a few days.
Here Henry applies this amazing phenonmenon to the death and resurrection of Jesus. Death, the ultimate injury, is transformed into the ultimate healing: new, risen life. This power of God's to transform death into life, sickness into health, sadness into joy, is present every day of our lives, not only at the time of our death. God's "Band-aid" can bless each lif. Every injury can be brought to God for comfort, for healing and even for transformation into something new when confidently left in God's good hands. Where do you need God's "Band-aid?"
Monday, April 2, 2007
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2 comments:
8 year old Hannah announced that she hated going to Mass. Once she worked with the Synthesis of the Mass she declared "now that I understand the Mass I love going."
Jo Culhane's Atrium
Dublin
Ireland
Good words.
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