Shhhh!!! Peace, Be With You!!!
Story time with the children! How I love the time with them. Wide eyed, innocent, rambunctious children. We begin with a song to shake out our sillies. "Father Abraham"...some of the children have taken to call me Father Abraham. We all laugh together.
Today there was the story of Easter of course. They told me of their encounters with the Easter Bunny and their new shoes and new clothes. I asked them if they knew what happened to Jesus on Good Friday and Easter. And of course they did.
Then I told them to put on their listening ears and told them of that day when Jesus came among them and said;
"Shhhh! Peace be with you!!!"
I don't know why I added the hushed "Shhhh", but I did. And when I said that the children fell absolutely silent.
I repeated it, like Jesus did.
"Shhhh! Peace be with you!!!"
The silence grew deeper and I found myself amazed by the spirituality of the children and how much they seemed to appreciate the moment. And so I pushed my luck just as Jesus did and so a third time, I quoted Jesus;
"Shhhh! Peace be with you!!!"
It was as if we were all transported to the Upper Room with Jesus and his followers and we were there with them all and with Jesus in our midst.
The children and I were one with Jesus then, if even for just the moment. We were there! And Jesus was here!
The Peace that passes all understanding was there in our midst.
We sang an Easter song then.
I blessed the children and they made their way back to the Day Care classes.
I repeated the exercise for the next class.
Give the children credit.
They never cease to amaze me with their hunger for God.
Happy Easter,
Fr. Paul
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