Shedding Some Light

Heavenly Yoga?

Josiah, my 6-year-old grandson—a “preacher’s kid”—prays each night for those who are sick. He has his own system: If they are mildly sick, he asks God to “put Your hand on him.” If they are very sick, he asks God “to put two hands on him.” When a family friend lay gravely ill he prayed, “God, Mr. _______ is really sick—he needs both hands and a foot.”

— Kathleen Winkler
Brookfield, Wis.

The Sheep Lady

We have given each of our grandchildren a beginning Nativity set upon their Baptism. We add a piece to the set each year on their Baptism anniversary. We discuss the significance of the day and the importance of Baptism.

Three of our grandsons were baptized on the same day. This year we remembered the anniversary with the gift of Gaspar the King for each of them. We talked about Gaspar and the journey of the Magi. One grandson asked about Jesus’ dad, so we talked about Joseph.

“Do you know the name of Jesus’ mother?” I asked.

Ethan, age 5, piped up, “Mary—Mary the sheep lady!”

Surprised, I said, “Yes, you’re right, Ethan. But I don’t think I’ve ever heard her called the ‘the sheep lady.’”

“Sure, Grandma, you know,” Ethan explained confidently. He began to sing, “Mary had a little lamb. . .”

This month we celebrate the festival of St. Mary, the mother of our Lord. I wonder how many other children hear us speak of the Lamb of God, see the sheep in the crèche, don’t know anyone else named Mary, and conclude the nursery rhyme describes the mother of our Lord.

— Sandy Welter
Croswell, Mich.

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