Saturday, January 17, 2015

My First Confession

 


Now my memory of Fr. Alex was a happy one. He would come out of the rectory during lunch hour and visit all the kids playing outside the school during lunch. We had returned from home for lunch, no busses in those dark ages, and waited outside for our afternoon classes. Fr. Alex would simply walk around the schoolyard.  However, you knew what was going to happen. He would take your finger and squeeze it until you say “ouch.” Today, we would think there was something wrong with this priest, but back then the kids thought it was funny to have the priest come up to you and give you a squeeze. It was simply his way of being close and loving. He would smile and laugh until the bell rang announcing time to return to class.

Now we are nervous approaching the infamous “box.” We knew Fr. Alex was on the other side of the screen except this time our “ouch” would be that we were suppose to tell him when we were naughty. Sister Angela Therese, our second grade teacher, had taught us our lessons that Jesus loves us very much and wants to help us be good boys and girls. But we are still scared to go inside that dark box and embarrassed to tell the priest that we shoved the girls around until they cried or that we lied to our parents.

This Sunday morning, Miss Molly, our parish Sunday school teacher has invited me to practice with her what our childrens’ First Penance will be like. She taught the children that we confess to God via Father Matt the things we’ve done wrong. However, the children were confused when it came to the idea of asking Jesus for help but talking to me. So Miss Molly in her creative wisdom told the kids to think of Jesus was Batman who would forgive them and I was Robin, Jesus’ helper. That’s a first for me to be thought of as Robin. Come to think of it, it was a brilliant idea!

No box, no dark church for these kids when they make their first confession. Rather, the image on this Sonshine features a little character that I have used these past 40 years. This my friends is “Pickles.” Looks like a bear, but better yet when the child sits in front of me, I hand them “Pickles” to calm their fears and talk about how Jesus loves them very much and wants to help them be their best.

God loves us as we pray: “Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.”(Psalm 25:18).

Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who still find it difficult to seek your forgiveness. Let us surrender our old memories and focus on your desire to renew our hearts with your grace of peace and mercy.