Blessing the Whole Self...

Sometimes Kids really get it.

I teach in a small Catholic school. Since I am not Catholic, I participate in the religious life of the place with reverence, but at some distance. That sometimes gives me an interesting vantage point.

Every Monday morning we take the munchkins off to mass. From big ones to little ones, the whole gang marches off to church. The two oldest grades are matched up with the littlest kids as "buddies" for this exercise, partly to help maintain order, and partly to help in the educational process of how the whole thing works. So my 7th graders take kindergartners to church each week.

There is one little guy who looks like an angel. If he'd been painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, he couldn't be more adorable. With blonde hair and great big, innocent eyes, he is simply as sweet and perfect as a small child can get -- and as clueless about the proceedings as a five year old might be expected to be...

At the beginning of the gospel reading, Catholics go through a ritual blessing of themselves that involves making the sign of the cross, with the thumb of their right hand, on their forehead, lips, and then finally over their hearts. It is a gesture that they all make very automatically and very quickly. This little guy has obviously been taken to church often enough that he has picked up on this move, or perhaps he's been taught it.

At any rate, on Monday, I happened to be watching him as this particular moment arrived. Everyone made the appropriate blessing gesture, including my little angel boy. However, he didn't stop with the requisite forehead, lips, and heart -- he proceeded on down the torso and made the sign of the cross on his penis as well!!!

Heathen that I am, I thought I might lose it right there in the midst of the faithful. It was so utterly pricelessly innocent and perfect. So wonderfully genuinely sweet and so grand. I kept it together, knew no one but me saw it, and sang a song of praise to the god of children and blessed penises...

Glory be!!!

swan