Approaching Christ as a Child

© Copyright 2003 Catholic Exchange

Jackie Zimmerer is a wife and mother of four sons. She attends St. John's Catholic Church in the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas.

I had just knelt at my seat after receiving Communion when four brothers filed forward in the aisle to my right. Largely due to the efforts of a couple of my parish's CCD teachers and their families, the brothers, ranging in age from 16 to 5, have started to attend Mass after a couple of years of just attending CCD. They were dignified, well behaved and respectful as they moved toward the front of the Church, the littlest brother standing directly in front of the oldest. I remember thinking how proud I was of them.

Michael, the youngest, his five-year-old hands dutifully folded at his breast, big brother's hands on his shoulders, walked up to Father and received his blessing. Then it happened.

Michael just stood there. He silently refused to move.

Without a word he let Father know that he, too, wanted to receive the Eucharist. Father Joseph found himself looking down on an expectant, slightly impish ear to ear grin that announced that Michael wasn't intending to move until he was allowed to receive the Lord of Hosts. Michael continued to stand there, the look on his face capable of melting the hardest of hearts. The oldest brother, with an air of silent, but controlled panic, didn't quite know what to do. Father, his face thoughtful, reached down and touched the child's forehead again and motioned for Michael to go back to his seat.

Still, Michael just stood there grinning.

Thinking quickly, the Extraordinary Minister at Father's right quietly motioned to Michael. As a teacher of one of his middle brothers, Michael knew and trusted Steve so he joyfully took the few steps over to the EM. Big brother heaved a sigh of relief. The situation seemed diffused.

Dutifully holding his arms crossed at his breast, Michael's physical position might have changed, but his determination was just as evident. The smiling, almost angelic little face wordlessly let it be known that he wanted to receive from the Chalice. Steve grinned thoughtfully at the determined little tike, carefully knelt down and gently traced the sign of the cross on the small person's forehead and quietly sent the boys back to their pew.

I could only grin and reflect with wonder at what I had just been privileged to see.

Such faith. Michael's profound trust and the expectancy that all he had to do was stand there long enough and he would be granted his petition taught this forty-something-year-old Mom a lot. So did the child's joyful attitude coupled with that cherubic grin as he walked back to his pew.

Scriptures tell us that we're to approach Christ as a child. That morning I witnessed a real, live demonstration of what that means. Five-year-old Michael approached Father with a trusting expectancy and a joyful heart. He wasn't afraid to let his petition be known. Twice he was denied, but he didn't throw a fit. He accepted the answer that it wasn't time — yet — and quietly went back to his pew, still grinning, with a very relieved big brother in tow.

The whole thing took only a few seconds but it changed part of me forever. Michael's joyful assurance that all he had to do was stand there long enough and his petition would be granted, followed by his cheerful willingness to wait, was a living lesson on approaching Christ as a child.

Thank you, God, for answering my prayer.