Visitors - Come on in and say hello!

Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Penance and First Sacraments


Lent is a penitential season. We all know it. We all try to live it, and we try to live it throughout the year.

But how many of us really understood this when we were children? I'm constantly amazed by the child Saints...Blessed Imelda (Dominican, by the way), Nellie of Holy God, St. Therese of Lisieux (died when she was 24...was already a Saint before she reached 18), Blessed Antonia (age 15), St. Maria Goretti...the list goes on.

And yet, as I have spoken to the parents this year of their seven and eight year olds receiving the sacraments of initiation, they are skeptical. I can see that they themselves don't really believe. Some do...and God bless them, they give me strength. And they give the Church strength. But so many others just see these sacraments as "hoops", and really, let's face it...most people don't live out their faith. Most don't seem to care. They have been seclarized. First Confessions are just a prereq to First Holy Communion, which itself is a debutante ball. It's all about the dress, it's all about the veil and the gloves (or lack therof), it's all about which children can be together. Never mind "bridezilla".

Spare us, O God, from MOMZILLA!

The children...they, for the most part, have a certain understanding of the gravity of the occasion. Sadly, it's the parents that wreck them. Or help them into Sainthood. Or secularism.

There are children I could name who would be Saints...but for their parents.

I've been praying to Blessed Imelda on their behalf...and for me, because I'm babysitting them all.

When I was a child, my family attended a small church in a small town. The tabernacle was front and only a little off-center, still in the sanctuary. The stained glass windows fascinated me with their brilliant colors, even more interesting at night when it was dark outside. I remember studying the patterns when the light did not pass through. I remember the crowds close around us. I remember the red carpet, the brick walls, the kneelers, and the rituals Mom always tried to point out. We always sat somewhere in the middle, and I still can recall kneeling on the red-clad kneelers, my chin resting on the pew in front as I looked at the prayer postures of those around me. The could rest their elbows on that pew and lean on their hands, heads bowed in prayer. I couldn't do that. I tried a couple times, but my neck would simply NOT stretch enough to reach my hands! And, realizing how ridiculous I appeared in that posture, I dropped my hands and rested my chin on the pew, content to kneel there and even somewhat grateful I didn't have to work as hard as everyone else in order to pray.

Not that I was praying, clearly.

Yet, that preparation for First Communion changed everything.

Mom was more attentive to my reverence...or lack thereof. My brother was an altar server, so I had something new and interesting to observe. After all, if he screwed up, I could tease him. And on that day when he fainted during the consecration, and Mom went up to get him, I teased him even before he was fully conscious. Although I felt guilty...he didn't look right. And he didn't respond. He only sat there, dejected, there in his robe, silently trying to ignore the sympathetic stares of the people around us. He kept rubbing his eyes so I left off poking him in favor of making a pretense at being the "good child." After all, I hadn't fallen over while Father was talking!

The week before our First Communion, we experienced our first opportunity to receive the mercy of God in the Sacrament of Penance. And that's what they called it officially, although Mom called it "Confession". And she went regularly, we with her, which was always a bore because we would sit in the dark stained pews in the dark church and wait for Mom to stand in line to talk to Father, and then she would come out and ignore us in favor of bowing her head and kneeling for awhile. And then my brother started to do the same thing. And finally, it was my turn when I reached first grade.

I don't remember standing in line so much. But I do remember walking in and there was Father, whom I considered to be a very nice person. He was both less intimidating and more intimidating when he was not vested for Mass. And I was a very shy child who had never failed to grasp for his hand after Mass. I liked him because he respected my shyness and never called attention to me, just smiled a lot and said nothing. That was nice. But that day I actually had to TALK to him, and was too shy to say what I had been taught to say. But he didn't seem to mind, and with all the patience in the world guided me through my first confession, asking me about my Mom and Dad, my brother, about school. And then he gave me forgiveness from Jesus, and I happily skipped out so that the next child could talk to Father.

I had some understanding, sufficient for a child, I suppose. And finally I knew the mysterious ritual experienced by Mom and my brother.

The following week was First Communion. We'd long had my dress, which I liked...but liked others better. It had a big, round ruff around the collar, trimmed with lace. It was a skirt just below the knees, and most exciting of all, I had a veil! When we tried it on I kept putting it over my face, like a bride. Mom kept pulling it back, saying "YOU'RE NOT A BRIDE! STOP IT!"

Of course, I WAS a bride, and it was completely appropriate, for we were all becoming the Bride of Christ. Mom was naturally trying to enforce proper behavior, and she herself knew the symbolism of the veil...but was likely trying to ensure I did not approach the altar with my face covered. Can you IMAGINE?! I do not believe I would have done such a thing, but I can certainly understand Mom's concerns!

That day was simply beautiful. I and one of the boys brought up the gifts, guided by the altar servers. A girl with blonde hair, a girl I knew and didn't like was the server behind me. (She was kind of a bully, but was nice when we were in Chuch). And I remember dutifully removing my gloves before going up to Communion. It is common these days for parents to bring their children with them for a blessing when they go forward for Communion...not so back in the early 80's. So my First Communion was ALSO my very first time approaching the altar.

We were taught to receive Jesus in our hands, although I do recall that our teacher mentioned receiving on the tongue, but it was not explained very well. I think the teacher was expecting Mom or Dad to give this part of the teaching. In any case, I received Jesus in the hand then, and until my 30th year.

And after First Communion, we took photos, and then went home and had a party. It was a very big deal, that special day, and I knew it was special in a way that differed from my birthday or Christmas. It happened only once in a lifetime, to have that special First. First Confession, First Communion. It was all about Jesus, even if it did involve fashion to some degree.

Yet as I got older, into my teens, Confession became something I didn't like. And religious education was a chore...I hated our classes, which meant nothing, taught me nothing, and actually only subjected me to the bullying presence of some really disturbed girls.

I quite literally faked being ill every month in order to get out of going to religious ed. It wasn't about Jesus...it was about avoiding being bullied.

And although Mom made sure we went to Mass regularly, and in this time I got involved with music ministry, and she made sure we went to Confession, for me, the faith was superficial.

It's not Mom's fault...don't ever blame her for my failings. And don't even blame the bullies. I was exposed to Christ himself far more than many of those other girls were. My failings were my own.

Granted, what catechesis I had was bad, but it could have been worse. And in fact, sadly, Mass was worse.

Mom's heart was in the right place when she made us go to Mass and Confession, and I will forever be grateful for her persistence. Yet I remember having to go to Confession which I only did out of obedience to Mom. In my heart, I did truly want to be clean, but I didn't see how some sins could be "mortal". Already, as a teen, I was buying into secularism and relativism.

And I remember going up and making my confession. The priest was a dissident priest but was, at the time, at least seeming to take the Sacrament seriously. And he asked me very directly about certain sins...which I actually denied. And I denied them because I was face-to-face with him and thought that if I confessed to THAT, then he would think less of me. And I was supposed to be one of the "good" kids, although I knew I was anything but. I wanted him to think I was fine.

This last had more to do than with confession, but rather, as a child of divorced parents, the one with whome we lived was insanely bipolar, the other, with whome we did not live was an active alcoholic. I wanted to project the image that all was well, I was wholesome and fine and holy and would NEVER even CONSIDER committing such a terrible sin as THAT!

NOPE! Not ME! I'm a good girl!

Oh, yes, I lied. To a priest. During Confession.

I have officially lied to God.

And I challenge any of you to ask yourselves seriously whether you've done the same thing.

When I experienced my true conversion, I remember taking this issue to Confession, and I was seriously shocked at myself. And I knelt there behind a screen and told Father that I had lied to a priest, and almost under my breath I said, "I can't believe I lied to a PRIEST!"

From behind the screen came a soft chuckle, which was quickly reined in.

After all, it is a serious sin to lie in Confession! But perhaps my consternation at my teenage behavior was humorous to him, which I can understand. And now I think it's funny, too. Not the sin, but rather the confession and my way of going about it.

Maybe this is one of those "you had to be there" kind of things.

In any case, here we arrive at the bottom of the post, and what have I said?

That nothing is resolved. That I am a sinner, that maybe my time with these parents and these children is penance for my years badly lived, and my ongoing sins.

None of us arrives at conversion in the same way. Some special souls are Saints from childhood...others are converted and become holy as adults. And the rest of us have an ongoing battle, and do penance in ways that truly parallels the sins of our youth.

I, for one am grateful for all of it. Because all of life reveals God's mercy, and the hope that springs eternal in the children He destines for His Kingdom. Would that I could be one of them.

11 comments:

Laura The Crazy Mama said...

This was a really great post! It brought me back to my FHC when my mom tried to make me change out of my dress and I ran outside crying. I don't remember anything else about that day.

Cathy_of_Alex said...

Adoro: Great post. Father chuckled because I'm sure he's been lied to before and he knows it. Priests hear it ALL.

When I was early in my reversion process I went to Confession and it was kind of noisy outside the Confessional and Father talked so low that I could not tell that he was waiting for me to begin until I heard him in an amused voice say: "Do you have anything you want to tell me?" LOL! Oops, Father. "Yes, I'm deef [sic]" LOL!

Deacon Bill Burns said...

Memed ya! Don't worry, it's quick.

Fr John Speekman said...

Very good post, Adoro, enjoyed it immensely. Memories are so important, aren't they. We give our kids so many 'things' but not memories. Thank God for your parents!

Anne Marie said...

Have confidence in the seeds you are planting in the lives of the kids you are teaching. As I was coming back to the church the memories of a single teacher speaking to me of the faith kept bubbling up and I am forever grateful to her. Ours was a family who attended Church weekly, but lived the faith even more weakly. Still that one teacher, simply by speaking to me of the early Christians and of the faith in general planted seeds that ran much deeper than I ever realized when I was away from God and his Holy Church.

God Bless

Anonymous said...

Theocoid ~ Saw it last night, will try to get to it tonight. I have most of the post written, just need that last parable!

Father ~ Memories are indeed important! My Dad was actually Lutheran, but he was on board with us going to Mass with Mom, etc. And I still remember him teaching us the Our Father (albeit with the Lutheran ending!)

Anne Marie ~ I actually don't teach the kids at all...except at the retreats when I have a station. My job is actually to teach the parents and babysit them. And I pray that seeds are being planted, because quite honestly, it's the adults that need it more. They can't form their children unless they know Christ. And too many of them don't.

Anne Marie said...

How do you get the parents to stay put while the kids are at CCD?

Anonymous said...

They don't. The parents who have children in the sacramental program have to attend 2 orientation sessions, one for each sacrament. And they HATE being there.

So that means that I get them for a total of 2 hours, non-consecutive, throughout the entire year. The rest of my time is spent coordinating the programs I have to coordinate. That's why I have catechists. Because they teach the kids...and I clean up after their parents. And then some nights I leave crying.

Anne Marie said...

I’m so sorry. That sounds very, very difficult. Maybe you could drop some Fr. Corapi DVDs on em. Let him give them a stern talking to!! J

Why do they hate it? Are you in a wealthy or dissenting parish or both?

I heard a quote recently on EWTN wherein a comparison was made between Pagan Rome and modern America and the speaker reminded that Christianity converted the Pagans then and Christianity can re-convert America yet again today. Let Christ do the heavy lifting. Remember that his burden is easy and his yoke light.

God Bless

Anonymous said...

It's a working-class middle-of-the-road parish, mostly, with factions of traditionalists (not rad-trads, just faithful Catholics) and factions of Catholic in Name Onlies. And people who consider themselves to be "conservative" because their children are in Catholic school, but when its pointed out to them they aren't really living the faith if they aren't attending Mass regularly...well...out come the guns.

Melody K said...

I confess that I don't understand why regular Mass attendance seems to be such an issue for some people. God and the Church ask us to do (or not do) some hard things. Going to Mass isn't one of them. You put one foot in front of the other, walk into church, pick a pew. And be there. God gives to us 24/7, we can't spare an hour for Him? The homily is boring, the music bad? So?? If people have so many other pressing engagements that they can't make it, they must have a way more interesting life than mine. (Sorry about the rant, also sorry you are getting flack over something so basic!)