Overhearing Catechesis

I was sitting in church yesterday, waiting for the processional to begin, when it started. The father, who I believe to be a seminary professor of some kind, asked his daughter whether she knew what was significant about this Sunday. She didn't know the answer, and he responded, that it was the last Sunday of the Christian Year. Christ the King Sunday ended the year, and a new year would begin the following Sunday with Advent. Then a crazy thing happened. The daughter, who couldn't have been older than 10, recited to her father, in order, the liturgical seasons of the Christian calendar. I don't think I could do that. In fact, I know I couldn't.

But it didn't end there, either. She asked her father about the differing Christian traditions in the Gospels, specifically about the differences between Mark and Luke's account of the birth. They then went on to discuss the origins of humanity, and how the mythical story really dated back to the Tower of Babel and Adam and Eve. No one really believes all humanity descended from Adam and Eve, he said, and only people who can't think critically do.

Another seminary professor demonstrated her practice of catechesis when after communion, her son wanted to dip his hand in the water in the Baptismal font. She let him do it, of course, but she wouldn't let him rub the water over his hair. No, she took his head and formed the sign of the cross. The child probably won't know what it means now, but down the road I imagine all this formation will help him know what he is doing, whether he buys into it or not.

I don't think it was their doctorate's worth of knowledge that led to this intentionality, but simply a belief that these moments of formation matter. The small actions, the ritual and the education, are powerful. The little moments of the tradition are very significant, and over time, can form us and our children into the way of Jesus.