Pint sized Theology

My husband's facebook update from last sunday:

"Spent most of mass listening to Joseph's long, convoluted argument about how Jesus could be in the tabernacle and in the bread and wine* at the same time. The short version is that it apparently involves Fr. Lehocky pushing a button on the tabernacle so that Jesus can fly around the church and land in the bread and wine."


Those moments make parenting worth while. (And I needed that moment, because prior to the sweet explanation to my husband, I had had to take Joseph out of the church twice for time out due to willful bad behaviour, including hitting mommy.)
But this story made me happy. While yes, it is not theologically or physically correct, it does my heart good that the visits we make to a church for five minutes of adoration and explanation do make a difference. A few weeks ago Joseph proclaimed at the moment of consecration that this was when Jesus came out of his little heart and into the bread and wine.
I whisper to him during mass (when I get to sit through mass with him that is and do not need to remove myself with a baby to the nursery) and explain to him what is going on. "This is a letter from Paul that they are reading. He was a friend of Jesus. Do you know what he is telling us? He is telling us that we need to be very good, with our words and with our bodies. Like your arms. They are not for hitting, but for hugging." I paraphrase whatever is being read on the fly so it is understandable for him. I try to put tiny little faith lessons throughout our days. And explanations like that make it clear that those lessons churn around in Joseph's mind.

Pint sized Theology

There are days when I worry about my children's religious education. Especially at mass. Or when a toddler, confronted with a plate of food that might not be his favorite, tells us to "stop doing that" while we are praying before dinner. There are other days that I marvel at his faith.
Last week, after I had to take my 16 month old out of mass (we made it throughout the readings, the gospel and partway into the homily), my three and a half year old stayed inside with daddy. Afterwards my husband shared the following with me:
"It was so cute. When Father lifted the host for the consecration, Joseph said: "Now Jesus needs to come out of my heart and go in there!"
Isn't it wonderful? Oh sure, there are theological questions, and God can be everywhere at the same time. But the fact that my whispered explanations during mass sink in on some level, the fact that God is working on him, and making Himself known to my little boy in whatever way he can understand is breathtaking.