This last week, our pastor had just finished reading the Gospel, and it was quiet in the church as he returned to the presider’s chair. The silence was broken by the sweet little voice behind me, “Jesus died and rose from the dead. Why, Mommy?” Not two seconds later, having received no immediate answer, she repeated, “Why, Mommy, why?” Clearly, her mother was going to have to answer.
My mind began racing. How does one explain all of this to a child in just a few words? It seemed to me that a correct response was going to require a university level dissertation, somehow brought down to the understanding of a three-year-old. I felt awful for the child’s mother, now put on the spot as I was pretty sure that most of the people at Mass heard the little girl’s insistent question. As my mind raced on, the silence was broken once again—this time by the girl’s mother as she calmly explained it all perfectly in just six words: “Because he loves us so much.”
And with that perfect answer, the little girl understood, the Mass carried on, and I was humbled by the faith of a child and the wisdom of her mother.