Preparing to Prepare for Easter

"From the outermost border of heaven is His going forth, and His goal is the outermost part of heaven, and there shall no man hide himself from His heat."  Psalm 18

Nicholas just turned six.  I love this age; there are usually so many really wonderful questions and conversations.  In Nicholas' case, he has to ponder something for a long time before he talks about it.  And then he has to rehearse what he's going to say with himself. So, sometimes, at what might seem like an odd moment, he just bursts out with a question:

"Mommy, I think it's possible you can sin so much you never go to heaven, right?"

Deep breath.

Nicholas, I want you to think about heaven like a warm hug.  God is waiting to scoop you up and give you the most wonderful, warm hug you've ever had. Nicholas is a hugger--this is a good eternal reward.

When you sin, you turn yourself away from God, you move away from the warm hug. Sometimes, you commit little sins and you are just walking away.  You can still feel God and He's still warm, but you're turned the other way and you're getting a little chilly. If you were to die, God would give you big hug and it might be a little uncomfortable at first but pretty soon you'd just be cozy.

If you commit great big sins and you're running away from God or so many little sins that you've walked a long, long way from Him, you will be very cold.  Your soul will be so cold that it's colder than your hands if you play in the snow without mittens.

And what happens when you come in from the snow when your hands are that cold and you run them under very warm water?  It hurts, doesn't it? The water isn't bad or mean.  It's the same warm water you love, but it hurts because your hands are too cold.

God's love, his hug, isn't bad or mean. It's the same warm, perfect hug of all, but someone who has sinned and never turned back twoards God is so cold that the warm hug is very painful. He can never be happy in that hug.  He can't hold his hands under the water and warm them up to be like God. Instead, he burns.

By now, I had the full attention of at least seven children. Stephen asked, "But what if you go to confession."

On your way to confession, you have decided you are sorry; you turn towards God. Right away he begins to warm you, to get you ready for the hug.  When you confess, your sins are forgiven and the hug feels perfect. And sometimes, walking back towards God seems like a long, long journey and you want someone to hold your hand along the way.  That's what the Blessed Mother, your guardian angel and all the saints you love will do. You can ask them to hold your hand while you turn and walk (or run) back towards the warm hug.

So, as we look towards Lent, we need to see how far we are from the great, big hug. We need to turn ourselves towards our Father and to remove those things that keep us from warming ourselves in his Love. When we fast, we do it to draw closer to God, to make ourselves aware that we need to be warmed by His love and that if we are not moving towards Him, we are growing colder.

Lenten fasting isn't about rules. It's about longing.  It's about wanting that hug so much and being made aware of our need for it. Fast and abstinence won't look the same for everyone. There are no fasting police. Instead there are the fasting traditions of the ages from which we can learn: the roadmap for turning ourselves around to face God.  And with that map, our hands firmly in the hands of the saints, we can walk to the glory of the great, warm hug. There is the great grace of the confessional, where we are the prodigal child who is scooped up in the joyful embrace of the father who was looking for him all along.

So, no, Nicholas, you cannot sin so much that you never go to heaven--just as long as you turn and go back towards the hug.

Comments

[Katie]

What an amazing explanation.

[Jane Ramsey]

I think this is the best explanation I have ever heard of heaven and hell, and certainly the best from a child's point of view. Thank you!

[Karen E.]

Beautiful, Elizabeth!

I find that "a child's explanation" is often exactly what we adults need, too, in order to shake off all the baggage and get right to the point.

I especially love the comparison to the warm water on cold hands -- just perfect!

[Amy]

I think *I* needed to hear it explained this way as much as your children. Thank you!

[Carole]

Very well said, Elizabeth. We all need to hear it in simple terms.

[Rebecca]

I am printing this post, Elizabeth. It really is a beautiful, image filled explanation.

[Nicole in MN]

What a brilliant way to explain it! It sounds so similar to something Mary Newland would say in her books. Thank you for sharing!!

[jen]

You have a gift, the way you can put words together is lovely. Your explanation was just what I needed today as I prepare my son for First Reconciliation this weekend. Thank You!

[Amber]

This is beautiful! I'm printing it out and keeping it. I'm also going to bring it with me to RCIA tonight. We just talked about the Sacrament of Penance two weeks ago and we're going to start talking about Lent next week.

[Melanie]

This was perfect. I think you need to publish some children's books, Elizabeth. You know, in your free time. :)

[Jenny Buckley]

What a perfect way to explain it - I hope you don't mind if I use it to answer my soon to be six's questions. You should write a children's book with this basis - mother's everywhere would thank you!
~Jenny

[Teresa]

That is absolutely beautiful. Yes, you should publish it.

[Genevieve]

Dear Elizabeth, I turn so often to your blog and find exactly what I require at the time. I too, have a newly-six son and I am also preparing my daughter, who is 7 and some, for First Communion. However it was that you came up with the imagery of warm water on cold hands, it is a stroke of genius! Thank you for sharing your gifts with us! You have been a blessing to me and my family.

[Kristen Laurence]

This is a beautiful analogy, and so fitting for the ears of our little ones. Thank you.

[KC]

Beautiful, Elizabeth. You really have a gift. Such a simple analogy but so powerful. I'm sharing this one with my homeschool group.

[Jessica Snell]

Hi - I was pointed your way by a friend, and I was wondering, could I link to this post in the upcoming Lenten Blog Carnival on my blog? I would love to include this post. The Lenten Blog Carnival information can be found here:

http://churchyear.blogspot.com/2007/02/lenten-blog-carnival.html

thanks for considering it!

peace of Christ to you,
Jessica

[Matthew]

Mrs. Foss, I love this column! Although I am a single Catholic man, I regularly read your column when it appears in the Arlington Catholic Herald. I think it is important to go to confession regularly (I go every week as best I can). You make a great analogy in helping to understand this Sacrament.

[Paula in MN]

Beautiful, Elizabeth. Just beautiful.

[Ruth Tucker]

Thank you. I'll be reading this to our 6 year old, who will be receiving the Sacrament of Penance this weekend.

[Emily]

That makes so much sense. It actually sounds similar to something I read some time ago - I think by C.S. Lewis. I particularly like the warm water on cold hands part. I think I'll print this out and file it away so that I can remember it when my own sons are old enough to ask such a question.