Last Wednesday we were driving to church for Ash Wednesday service. Number One Son was excited to tell me all about what he knew about Ash Wednesday. It's kind of his thing to want to remember all about certain dates and the traditions that go with them. When one holiday ends he starts preparing for the next one.So as we were driving, he was telling me that tonight the pastor was going to put ashes on our foreheads in the shape of a cross. He then went on about the ashes being from palms and lent is starting and then palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter,....etc. I had to cut him off before he got to Flag Day.
Sweet Pea was uncommonly silent during all of this. After a few minutes she sheepishly said, "I don't want Pastor to put ashes on my forehead."
N1S immediately piped up, "Why? It doesn't hurt."
I asked, "SP, do know what ashes are?"
"No"
I explained that ashes are just like dust.
She seemed relieved to hear that. I asked her what she thought ashes were.
She said, "I thought Pastor was going to put those ashes on our heads that we leave there for a long time and they burn a cross into our foreheads."
"What kind of church do you think we go to!?"
I had to wonder, when did she ever see anything like that going on in church? I know some kids think of going to church as torture, but I didn't think they were being literal.
7 comments:
That is too cute. It is kinda an odd tradition for kids to understand, I think. We tried continuing going to the Catholic church since we are Catholic but moved on to a different denomination for various reasons. M takes everything literally and so many of the traditions seemed to go against her "way" of being. Like having to sit still in the pew for an hour. I do miss the traditions.
She thought they were going to burn a cross into her forehead!! Man and I thought those of us at the Church Of Christ were strict.
You sure she hasn't been watching the Exorcist or something like that?
awww - poor girl!
Now that's cute!
Where do those ashes come from anyway? Because on Ash Wednesday, I thought I saw some Church Council members out in back of my church with a carton of cigarettes and a Zippo ....
Awwwww SP is just soooooo sweet!
I can remember as a child hearing about things like the ark of the covenant and imagining a great big ship full of animals moored somewhere behind the scenes in the back of the church, and thinking the tabernacle was some kind of strange medieval metal box secured with buckles and straps for some reason. SP's misunderstanding is totally understandable, but I'm glad you explained it to her.
Post a Comment