Recently, I overheard the following story recounted by a parent at another parish. This mother told a CCD teacher about a conversation she had overheard while driving home from class. Her seven year old son and his buddy were in the back of the car, oblivious to mom’s inquisitive ears, talking animatedly about death. One boy asserted, “Yeah, well when you’re dead, you’ll be pushing up daisies.” The other, with seven year old confidence claimed, “You’ll be six feet under.” The first retorted after some thought, “Well, I have everlasting life.” After a pause the second boy turned and said, more pensively this time, “Yeah, me too.” They then rode in silence for a piece, washed over with a kind of wisdom that had to sink in deep.

This conversation took place in another part of town, in another parish. Lest you wonder if our own St. John’s children garner anything from their Mass experience, read the following story recounted by parish pillar and mother, Denise Culkin:

During a recent conversation, with my boys, we had been talking about how old some people are in relation to others. My boys are at the age when if you mention any historical or famous figure, (e.g. George Washington, Bill Clinton, Abe Lincoln) one will say, "Is he still alive?" His brother will usually follow up with, "how did he die?" if that person has passed on. Once they get onto the topic of aging and death, they try to do some calculating.

"Mom, when I am 30, how old will you be? How old will Michael be?" If the numbers add up such that I will be REALLY old ("Mom, when I am 75 how old will you be?") I usually say, "Well, I may not be around by then." I believe this was how our conversation was going, when Rory, one of my 6 year olds said, "But mom, what about that stuff, that white thing you get at church. It is supposed to give you everlasting life, right?" I was stunned.

My answer went something like this: "You know how we believe that people we love who have already died have gone to heaven, like Aunt Kathy and GM and Pop Pop Bob? Well, that is because there are sort of like two parts to us, there is our body, and our soul. And while our body only lasts for a while, our soul or spirit will go to live with God forever in heaven. That is what we mean by everlasting life." Rory responded, "Can I have some ice cream now?" He seemed satisfied with theology for the time being.

Rory loves to collect treasures of all kinds and sizes, and has hidey-holes all around the house for his stuff. I imagine his thought process included the joy of anticipating keeping the treasure of his life- "Wow - this is cool - everlasting life - I am going to hold onto that!"

I thought about this over the weekend on two fronts. One, in church on Sunday, I was thinking how as parents we are convinced the kids are absorbing none of what is going on around them. I second guess our choice to let our kids color and do the church worksheets during mass when they seem quiet, but so absorbed in their artwork that they are not even willing to stand for the proclamation of the Gospel or say the “Our Father.” Also, at times, I fall into comparing our family to those other families whose kids seem so much better-behaved than ours! Ultimately, however, as I reflect on that conversation with Rory, I realize that it is sinking in. He is getting it.