Full Disclosure: Sinner Here

As a mother of two and a teacher of I don't know how many, I have seen my fair share of animated films.  I have several favorites but there are a few that I would have absolutely no problem watching again and again, much like the years my sons were young.

There is one scene in Shrek in which Donkey wants to be "selected" and he bounds up and down saying, "Pick Me! Pick Me!"  I was always that way as a young student but I think that what I love most about is how it ties to my faith life.

We touched on Original Sin in class on Sunday September 16 and I asked students what sin was.  I got a lot of good answers and clarified their responses that sin is anything that breaks our relationship and/or direct connection to God.  I think that they understood it very well.  So when given the opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation, I am very much like Donkey from Shrek.  There is nothing in the world like forgiveness. Forgiveness is divine and can move us by light years closer to God.  I want to be close to God, always--even when I fall, I want my savior and forgiving father to be right next to me.

I used to use an analogy with my middle school students (now in college) that Reconciliation is like the very best car wash/detailing for your soul.  Yes, when we leave the confessional there is still work to do but in my humble opinion, that is why I am here.  My life is God's gift to me; what I do with my life is my gift back to God.  I want to walk in His ways all that I can, but I am a sinner. 

When we further discussed sin, most students tied sin as what we do to the earth.  This is true but a deeper stretch is what we do to fellow man.  How do I treat my "neighbor"? When my temper is short or I am not getting my way, how am I treating a fellow human made in the likeness and image of God?

The children grasped very quickly the difference between saying, "I am sorry" and asking for forgiveness.  Please encourage your child to practice this skill and also discuss what we need to remember to keep our relationship with God in tact. 

Next posting:  What It Means to be Your Child's Teacher

And So It Begins....

Last Saturday I started another year as a catechist.  This marks something like my thirteenth year and I must say, every year, I learn something more. 

This year's religion class is at St. Catherine of Siena/Newman Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.  I think I heard Father Marcin refer to the catechism class as "Sunday School".  This is a first for me as I have always taught CCE (Congregation for Catholic Education).  Friends here in Salt Lake tell me their experience is to call it CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine).  Whatever the name, this year I am charged with students during their second grade year.  This means First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.  I am humbled that I was called for this task and hope to live up to what is expected of me from The Church.

Blessings to you.
Alexis