Any parent of a young child knows that sometimes Mass can feel like a marathon. Between bathroom breaks (potentially multiple), asking for snacks and ill-timed squeals or cries during the consecration, it can feel daunting, let alone exhausting, to bring our children to Mass.
The temptation to not bring our children to Mass is a strong one at times, but in Mark 10:13-14, we see that Christ tells his own disciples to “let the children come” to him. It even goes as far as to say that Jesus “was indignant” at the idea that his disciples would keep those children away from him.
It can be very appealing at times to not bring our children to Mass and try to rationalize that they are too young to absorb anything anyway, but the Mass is just as much a place for our children as it is for us as adults.
But why should we bring our children to Mass and how? It is a good reminder to us all that we go to Mass to worship the Lord and to partake in the most holy sacrifice of the Eucharist. At the core, that is why we go to Mass.
Of course, it is nice when we feel like the homily really hits home or we feel a closeness to the Lord, but the Lord can work in our hearts even if we may not feel it at that moment. I’m sure many of us can look back at times in our lives where in retrospect we can see how the Lord was working even when we didn’t recognize his work. Just the same, we receive graces by going to Mass and so do our children!
Consider a daily habit such as brushing your teeth. We know that this is something that is good for us even if we can’t see the results of that each day. As parents, we want what is best for our children as well, so we impart the habit of daily teeth brushing to our children. They may not understand why or even how to do this fully on their own, but at the end of the day, their teeth are clean before going to bed. We would never say, “Well, he doesn’t understand why we are brushing his teeth, so we are going to wait until he is older.”
Much in the same way, our children are primed not only to receive grace from the Mass but also to build those habits of prayer. This is not to say that we shouldn’t explain why we go to Mass when they are older, but building these habits at an early age will help to set the foundation for a life of prayer and worship. The questions about the faith will come, and they might be hard conversations, so we ought to give our children and ourselves as much grace as possible to be able to navigate those situations later.
As for how we take our children to Mass, a few practical thoughts come to mind. Finding your “village” is one of the best tips I can give. At our church, the 9 a.m. Mass has now multiple areas where many young families gather to sit together for Mass. The parents and children have made their own villages within the pews of our parish to love and support each other during Mass. These villages go beyond young families too and include seasoned parents and grandparents as well. How comforting it is for our own family knowing that the people around us are willing to lend a hand if needed with our children.
Another tip would be to prepare yourself and your children for Mass. Things like reading the Gospel in advance can help us to better absorb the message of the Gospel. Consider reading it as a family the day before during dinner to prepare your hearts and minds for Mass.
Having a Mass bag for young children is also a good way to prepare for Mass. Our own Mass bag is a mix of Catholic toys, cars, books and snacks, but having this helps our son to be comfortable at Mass. We still take time during Mass to tell him what is going on and encourage him to participate in the prayers, but something small like a Mass bag provides a bit of relief for him, and us as well, when he grows tired of being in the pew.
At the end of the day, we should remember to offer mercy to ourselves, our children and those around us when going to Mass. We never know what another family may be going through each week, whether their children are small or grown. When we do this, we make room for Christ’s own words to work in our hearts so that we can respond as he says, “Let the children come to me.”
Related to: Alleluia moments: Praising the Lord in the ordinary – Catholic Times: Read Catholic News & Stories