I decided Thursday morning to take the kids to daily Mass at our new parish. It is something I have been meaning to do for a while. Years actually. When I was in college, there was a chapel in the basement of my dorm and I loved having Jesus there, available all the time. Daily mass at 9 every evening. So since I started having children, it has been a goal of mine to make it to at least one weekday Mass.
Well, for a while there, the prospect of taking 1 (or 2 or 3 or 4) small children to Mass by myself seemed a little daunting. But since we moved back and Adelle has gotten older (and Liam has gotten better during Mass) I figured I could handle it. No problem actually. I mean, daily Mass lasts about half an hour, how rough could it be? And at our new parish, it starts at 8:30 instead of 8, giving me the extra half hour to round up my little peeps.
So I did it. And in an honest assessment, it really wasn't too bad. Issy was great. Isaac was spacey and hummed a lot (he drives me crazy with this- he seems to have the inability to be completely silent with his mouth. there is always some sort of noise emitted from it. I give him a stern look, he looks contrite and then about 10 seconds later, the noise starts again. never terribly loud, but loud enough to be noticeable.)
And Liam. Well, he wasn't misbehaving, persay. There was just a lot of trying to snuggle with me. Which is fine when I am sitting on the couch reading a book to him, not so much when I am holding a squirmy toddler and giving Isaac stern looks for making mouth noise.
Adelle was a 17 month old that wants to get down and run around and was unhappy when I didn't allow that. And then Liam kept touching her to, in his words, "make her happy" but really it was making her shriek, "no no no no!"
Fun times.
All this left me feeling a little bit flustered. If it was just us, or a group of other families with small kids, their age-appropriate but not obnoxious behavior wouldn't bother me. But as it was, we were sitting with a lot of older folks, who I have found may or may not very forgiving of this kind of behavior. I always assume they aren't, though and this leaves me feeling self conscious and a bit like a bad parent.
So at about the first reading, I was seriously reconsidering my decision to come and was thinking that maybe I wouldn't try daily Mass again for a couple of years.
At communion time, I took a deep breath, stepped out of the pew, begged for the grace to get through the next few minutes and walked up with my crew (Delle in my arms and Liam whacking each pew on the walk to the front of church, despite my feeble efforts to discretely get him to stop).
And I got to receive Him, which is always a good thing.
We went back to the pew to pray and Mass was over. There had been two older ladies behind me and as I was walking out of the pew, they stopped me to tell me what beautiful children I have.
They thanked me for bringing the kids to Mass.
I told them, honestly, that I had been thinking that maybe it hadn't been a good idea and they told me that they weren't bothered at all and yes, please bring them back.
So we will go to daily Mass again and I will remember that no matter what happens, I am taking my babies to see Him. And I get to receive Him.
Which is always a good thing.
10 comments:
Stories like this make me wish there was a "like" button for blogs :) Congrats on being brave and taking the kiddos to daily mass - I'm sure you get extra "mommy grace" for doing it solo. I've toyed with this idea as well, but have put it off for the same reasons you stated. Maybe this will be the motivation I need to give it a try. Heaven knows I need the extra graces!
Yay you! What a wonderful account of the reality of mothering during Mass. We try to go once a week (outside of Sunday) to a daily Mass at our parish. It was WAY easier with one kid. I've been struggling to make it on time with two. But the grace is worth it!
ahhh yes. I think I heard somewhere that we get as much grace as the level of bad behavior at mass from kids...does that make sense?
either way, good for you for bringing the children unto Him.
YAY! We have recently started going to daily Mass several days this past week since the time change and it has been wonderful. I hope to continue as we're able. Glad it was a good experience for you. God understands, I'm glad the "old people" do to.
God bless!
Erin, you are a woman after my own heart. I have this very same desire (to take my kids to daily Mass - at least once a week) and have found the task daunting with so many little ones (I have four also). I used to got to daily Mass myself - back in college - every day! (And I got to have an entire hour in front of the Blessed Sacrament - EVERY DAY - an entire hour of peace and quiet, just soaking up Jesus - ahh, those carefree college days, 'eh?) In any case, kids are a blessing. When we only had two I was able to get to daily Mass quiet frequently, but three or more and the trouble seems to be almost not worth the effort. However, my duaghter is now in kindergarten and her class goes to daily Mass once a week, so I decided the rest of us could join her. I figured a school Mass is full of kids so maybe we would blend in - or at least give the kids something extra to look at. No such luck on either, but sitting near the back has been my salvation and I like to look at the older folk and imagine they really love my kids and understand (although I know that is not always the case, I try to assume the best, as I have gotten MANY comments about how nice it is to have little ones at church). My 2-year-old was a little late talking, but now I absolutely cannot get him to be quiet (he must comment on EVERYTHING) and he does not have a "whisper mode" so. . . sitting near the back, yep, that is a requirement at this time (even though I would normally push for a front pew to see better). Fortunately, my husband is able to attend as well (as long as Mass does not run long - as he has to go straight from Mass to work) and that has been a life-saver as it seems that sitting and holding the children makes them behave so much better (especially the 2-year-old).
So, to sum up, kudos to you for your bravery. Keep up the good work. We will try to do the same :)
Lovely. You even made me a little misty. I need to get to daily Mass more, but I have the same fears that Gianna will "disturb" other people. Perhaps we'll try it...
maybe I'm just inconsiderate but I only worry about my kids disturbing me during Mass...
Thank you for all the feedback! I am glad to see so many Mamas trying to work it out, also. We went again yesterday and this kids were better behaved :) I am hoping this habit will be good for all of us.
I'm way behind. But, like Elizabeth, I was looking for a "like" button! You're such a good momma! And, and good story teller too. I was smiling and laughing as I read this...I can just imagine it like I was there :)
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