You know how it is when you let something slide, and then you r-e-a-l-l-y let it slide, and then it’s too late and you’re embarrassed about how horribly you’ve let it slide and you’re past the point of redemption, so you lie awake agonizing about it but can’t bring yourself to do anything about it during daylight hours, so suddenly seven years have gone by and you STILL haven’t had your seven year old baptized? Yeah, that.
Once I finally (finally!) confronted my shame and talked to the church, I found them wonderful and welcoming, and not once did anyone scold me for letting Lucas reach the age of seven un-baptized. In fact, the only thing even remotely like castigation was the priest gently patting my cheek and saying, “come back to Church, child” when I confessed to him at our school’s summer picnic.
Since Lucas will be receiving the sacraments of baptism, reconciliation and first communion this year, and Simon will be receiving the sacrament of confirmation, we’ve been going to church a lot this year. You know what has really surprised me? How much I’ve grown to like it. I find attending mass with the boys a time of peace and calm in the week. I like the singing, and the time to reflect, and the sense of community.
Lucas’s baptism was a delightfully low-key and yet spiritual. The people I love most in the world were there, and there were several other families who also missed getting their kids baptized as infants. (Had I only known, I would have agonized a lot less!) And Lucas so loved the idea that he was dressed and ready for church before half the family was up, and took special care to wash his face and comb his hair so he’d be clean for Jesus.
Both our parish priest and my friends and family are quirky and have a healthy sense of humour, and the day was the perfect mix of community, sacred, and joyfulness. There were selfies with his godparents:
But there were also more solemn moments.
And do you know how you’ve chosen the two most perfect people in the universe to be your third child’s godparents? When they gift him with, I kid you not, a Minecraft version of the bible, old and new testament.
In a way, I feel like maybe we were meant to wait, so this lovely day could unfold as it did, because I really can’t think of a more perfect way to celebrate Lucas and our family’s fledgling reacquaintance with the church. Huh, who would have guessed it? 🙂
I love everything about this Dani! a big congratulations to Lucas on such a special day!
p.s. I also kinda love how your older 2 wore their “best” track pants for the sacred event 🙂
Hahaha, so funny that you picked up on that Sarah. Yes, having three boys is definitely a “pick your battles” thing and that was one I was not going to win graciously. A few years ago, I would have been mortified – now I’m just proud of them for showing up and sitting through nearly two hours of mass without a single grumble. 😉
I completely agree 🙂
This is lovely! Congratulations to all of you. Welcome (officially) to the family of God, Lucas! Despite the challenges of attending Mass with a busy almost-four-year-old and a fidgety nine year old, we too find weekly Mass a welcome calm to our busy lives.
And while there’s some truth to the whole “you should give your best to Jesus and that includes your wardrobe”, I’m a firm believer that the Lord would rather to came to His table as you are, track pants and all, than not at all! 🙂