My Child... The Saint?

It's amazing the connection children have with Our Lord. What if we all listened and took it seriously?

When my child, Christopher was four, our normal bedtime routine took an hour (at least). Bath, Bible story, singing songs (some that we made up), telling stories (that I made up), and whatever else he could get me to do in order to delay bedtime. During that time, Christopher liked to talk about his day, eminating his father and I.

One night, when I was putting him to bed, after the routine was pretty much over, here is what happened:

Christopher blurted out, “mom, men can’t marry men and women can’t marry women!” I said, “who told you that?” (I know what you are thinking… why that question? Well, at the time, we had a male couple living next door. Wonderful guys… and I didn’t know if an ugly neighbor had said something in front of the children outside… I mean, who knows, right?) So he said, “I just know!” I said, “but how do you know, did someone tell you?” He said, (dead seriously), “mom, I was with GOD for a long time before I was with you, and HE doesn’t like that!” I said, “God told you that? You were with God?” He said, “yes, before I was with you and dad. I still remember it!”

Of course, my mind was racing. My child REMEMBERS being with God before he was with me? What does this mean? So, I shared the story with a Priest, who said that Christopher was very special and perhaps would be a Priest himself. Christopher stated he did not want to be a Priest, he wanted to be a Policeman before he was the Pope.. and that was the end of that. You see, that is the four year old response... not really understanding everything about our Faith.

Sure I think of that moment from time to time, but do I really GET what my child said that night? Do I understand the miracle that is before me? Do we really listen to our children and grasp the enormity of what their souls experienced before they came to be with us? God knows them before he knits them in our womb… so was my child really in tune with God before he was born? before he was in my womb?

Then I think, what is MY responsibility as the mother of a child who had (maybe still has) that memory? I am not sure it is different than any other parent. You see, I believe all of our children were with God first.

Jeremiah 1 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

1 The words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

Jeremiah’s Call and Commission

4 Now the word of the Lord came to me saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” 6 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a boy’; for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and you shall speak whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.” 9 Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the Lord said to me, “Now I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.”

You can read the rest here: Jeremiah 1: 1-19

If we listen to Our Lord… He puts words in our mouths. He guides us. I wonder... How much more does He guide our children, who are so much more innocent than we are… who are much more open to Him in some ways, because life-experiences have not tainted their thinking? I could go on and on…

My husband and I were stunned that our son said he was with God before us. In fact, my husband jokingly said Christopher should get us the winning lottery numbers in an attempt to make us laugh. lol Sigh. Adults can be so unopened to God in the small things…

In our Catholic Faith, we have many child Saints. Stories are shared about them and what they have gone through… but I wonder, how long did they “know” God? If they knew Him before they were born, is that why they are so special to Him? To all of us? It’s something to think about? I found a great article on Child Saints. I’m sure there are MANY more. Child Saints As Role Models. Check it out.

I would LOVE to hear your stories about things your children have said to you and their relationship with God! And, of course, I wonder… will my child be a Saint? I don’t know if he will be a Saint or not. But I’m watching and listening MORE. God is in Control. Let us bring our children to Him!