This morning, the preschooler that I nanny, who has just celebrated his third birthday, celebrated his first Eucharist. We weren't in a church building. There wasn't a lot of music or long prayers or chanting. Instead, his father and I were eating breakfast with him and watching the birds outside the window.
In the midst of this every day meal, the child took a piece of his cereal, lifted it into the air and declared that it was "real bread". Then he took his cup of apple juice in his hands, considered it for a moment, then delcared that it was "real wine". The bread was dipped in the wine and promptly, prayerfully, eaten.
A piece of cereal was shared with his dad. "You need bread today, too, Daddy," said the child. Then he offered his juice for the cereal to be dipped into. Then he did the same for me.
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| "Breakfast Eucharist" - Photo by Trista Wynne |
We remembered Jesus this morning, first thing. And we offered prayers of thanksgiving for God's presence with us this day. This little three year old may not fully understand what Jesus did for us, (then again, do any of us, truly?) but he sure does recognize that there is something incredibly special about the communion of saints and the celebration of the Eucharist. Surely the Lord is in this place! Truly the Spirit of the Lord is in this child.
Ah Lord,
in the setting of that home, we worshipped You.
Thank You, Lord, for meeting us where we are!
Thank You, Beloved, for your Presence in every day.
Thank You for the gift of this delightful child.
I see Your face when I look at him.
May he also see You in me.
In Jesus' name, amen.
1 comment:
A few weeks into our son's fourth year he declared that he wanted to take the Eucharist. I explained what it meant as far as I could to a preschooler; he was RAPT and adamant that he wanted Christ in him. I went thru the questions from the Book of Common Prayer and he appeared to UNDERSTAND (again, as you said, as much as any of us do!) He prayed with RAPT FOCUS. I believe it was for him a conversion experience.
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