I am just home from our annual Ash Wednesday service and I have decided to write tomorrow's (Thursday's) blog now. I was pleasantly surprised that 60 people came to worship this evening, including a dozen children. I have been encouraging the presence of children because they are curious about the ashes and the sign of the cross. I bring them to the front and explain what has happened with the burnt palm branches. Tonight one of them commented that the mixture of oil and ashes looks like ink, which is true.
The youngest of the kids was 22 months of age, and he was frisky...and noisy. Of course rambunctious children can be distracting, but I find that the presence of young people reminds us of the hopeful, forward-looking aspect of Ash Wednesday. Sure we need to be sorry about our wrongdoing, but the meaning would be lost without Christ's reconciling love and forgiveness.
When folk came forward for the imposition of ashes there were a number of families. I noticed that virtually all the children who could write brought forward the slip of paper which began " This Ash Wednesday I am sorry for..." They were participants in the worship. The child who was "on the run" watched intently as the sign of the cross was made on his mother's forehead. Then he was quite still as I did the same for him. It was a lovely moment for me, even though the same little guy made it difficult for me to focus as I offered my message.
Ash Wednesday is much more than words.There are readers who were there for the service with children and without. What do you think about including children in the more solemn events of the church year?
I found two moments quite moving..one was watching the two little (usually quite active) girls in the front pew, with their heads turned looking to the line of adults receiving the cross of ashes...the wonder in their eyes and comfortable stance seemed for me to capture a sense of human community, even as we shared our frailities. Also watching your tall stance, as you kneeled down to eye level of our littlest people, as Jesus would have done, and gently applied the cross, were profound moments. Our 9 and 5 year old had trouble thinking of, and owning personal sin, but were ready to be sorry for things they do in a more global experience, around the environment.I know not what our 12 year old wrote, but I am grateful for the moments she took to think and respond. We chatted of major league ball players and drug use on the way home, and how we can never do anything to separate us from God. Our kindergarten-er broght home a cut out contruction paper church from school yesterday. Questioning what activity had inspired this craft (in apublic school) she matter of factly told me that they are studying community, and they all had to make an important building in their community and she thought that was the church. Inclusion of our children in all of our church activities, even when they can't sit still, makes good soil and strong roots for their growing years, and that is the best we can do for them.
ReplyDeleteI noticed too, Laura, that in your case, and with the family with the "roadrunner" three generations were represented. Another of our families has, other years, involved three generations.
ReplyDeleteWhile the service wasn't formally intergenerational, it was in practice.
I found the service moving, although found myself getting anxious for the parent of the child mentioned,but I did find myself calm after reading aloud the prayer we read together asking for forgiveness. Our nine year old shoved the "sorry" paper back at me, saying she wasn't going to do it, however when I wasn't looking she did write something, and did put it with all of the others. The service obviously moved her to action and she asked for forgiveness. Small steps like these with our children, and we build those firm foundations.
ReplyDeleteI suspect that the only adult who wasn't anxious were the mom. The grandparents seemed to be!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that your child reconsidered Nancy, although she is a sweetie from my perspective.