"Why do we go to Church? Church is boring!"
These are just some of the not-so-nice questions and comments hubby and I hear from our son, Liam. He has been saying that since I can remember! He is only 4 years old.
Don't get my son wrong. He knows his prayers. He prays everyday and his prayers are very personal, but going to Church is another story.
Well, it doesn't help that the masses here are not as "alive" like that in Manila. Seldom do we get to have a high mass where all the songs are sung! So I really can't blame him if he finds going to Church and attending mass, boring.
Like what I wrote on my outputs in my Cert course, kids nowadays are very intelligent. They are very critical. You can't expect them to just embrace everything and believe what you ask them to. They have to understand what they are going into. I think my son, already belongs to this generation.
It is actually easier for us to just say:" we go to Church because we have to" or "because we said so." I have read a book which explained that using that excuse will do more harm than good. I don't want to impose or force on him as well, I think this aspect -- spirituality, comes with age, BUT, we don't want him growing up not getting used to the practices of our faith. I think exposing him to the practices will help him better understand what it is we believe. So what to do?
We usually have our mass every Saturday evenings but two weeks ago, hubby encouraged me to try the Sunday 9am mass. I really don't want attending the early morning mass on Sundays because the crying room, where we usually stay is filled with noisy, no, make that super noisy kids, and it adds up to my distraction. I really can't focus on the mass when kids are running around or crying or wailing! This is in addition to my distraction of minding my own kids, ok? And besides, we usually go out on Sundays -- trip to the City and the like (I know, NOT a valid excuse!)
Why the Sunday mass? Well, during the Sunday morning masses, the church has Children's liturgy. Before the 1st reading is read, the kids are asked to go up in front, the priest blesses them and someone takes care of the kids in another room. In that room, they have their Cathecism. The kids stay there until Offertory. Liam didn't go before because he was still too young, whenever we had mass on a Sunday due to an appointment on Saturday evenings.
Back to my story. Even if I was very hesitant, I agreed with hubby to try out the Sunday morning mass. Our first attempt, it was still the school holidays. We were not aware that during school holidays there was no Children's liturgy, in short, Liam was very disappointed because he was really looking forward to it!
Last Sunday, hubby wanted to ring the Parish office first to really make sure that there is a Children's liturgy. I told him, there was. I was pretty sure I heard that once school starts, Children's liturgy will re-commence.
So off we went. And guess what, Liam, didn't need any assistance going in front. He was really looking forward to it. He enjoyed the Children's liturgy and he even had an output! In addition, I was able to concentrate more especially during the Homily.
I asked him after the mass if he still felt that Church was boring. Your guess is as good as mine! He shook his head with a smile on his face. Hubby's idea paid off! "At least he gets entertained now and he learns pa, kesa naman puro -- Church is boring ang sinasabi niya," hubby commented.
Two days after, I was feeling under the weather. I was lying on the bed with his sister when he told me this: "Mama, the teacher in the church said when Mama or Papa are sick we should take care of them. So I will take care of you."
Oh well, I think Sunday school does work! :)
