Receiving Christ With A Single Shoe

originally posted April 27, 2010

by Kathleen Blease

Every mom goes through it. It's a time in her life when she realizes that Mass is not fun and/or peaceful and fulfilling, but it's a time of training her children. Any chance of hearing the gospel, contemplating the homily, or receiving Christ in perfect peace becomes pretty slim. Yet, there is a fullness that comes from this all-important maternal task.

My all time low was when my toddler was sitting on my lap and began spitting on my arm. He then took his finger and drew in his spittle. It was the final straw at the end of a long line of antics, and I was sure the entire parish heard me when I stood up and flew my arms in the air and yelled, "Yuck. Oh, yuck. Just stop. Just stop!" But, no. No one heard me. In fact, when I returned to my senses I was still sitting squarely in my seat, facing forward trying with deep breaths to absorb Father's words.

Yes, every parent has this moment. You will love to read about Jennifer's. Click here to visit her blog, Conversion Diary. In her article When Church Isn't Fun she explains beautifully how our sweet Jesus still comes to us in the Eucharist, with our arms wrapped around a drooling toddler dressed in a single shoe and shirt pulled over his ears. (Oh, wait...those were my kids.)

God bless.