A Lesson Pope Francis Shared that he Learned from His Grandmother

Pope Francis as a child in Buenos Aires. Photograph: AP

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday when we are reminded of our eventual death by the placing of ashes on our forehead.  A wonderful surprise at 8 AM Mass was Bishop Peter Rosazza who came to celebrate Mass at our Parish in West Hartford, Connecticut.  In the Bishop's homily he mentioned something Pope Francis had shared last Palm Sunday in his homily. He stated, “My grandmother used to say, `children, burial shrouds don’t have pockets.’”  This beautiful window into the childhood and upbringing of Pope Francis, highlights wonderfully the important teaching that we should try to build our treasures in heaven not in earth.  Such treasures that do accompany us before Our Lord are the precious time we spent with Him in prayer, the Masses we have attended, The Rosaries we have said,  the love we have shared with others.  Such are the things that will be weighed and it is our hope that the answer will come, all has been weighed and not found wanting.  

In reflection it is most beautiful that something said last Palm Sunday would be mentioned during Mass on Ash Wednesday as the palms themselves from last year's triumphant celebration of Jesus entering Jerusalem are the very palms used  to create the ashes we used yesterday.  A wonderful reminder that all early glory is fleeting.  Even Our Lord was rejected.

Another wonderful thing to contemplate is that Pope Francis still remembers what his grandmother taught him as a child.  In fact what his grandmother taught him stuck with him so much that over 60 years later he is using it in his  first Palm Sunday homily as Pope.  

This precious time we have with our children and the things we say to them have lasting affects.  Today the Children's Rosary at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Brentwood, California will meet at 3:30 PM PST. This group has chosen to meet weekly on Thursdays in front of the Blessed Sacrament.  Please consider joining them in prayer from your home. They always pray for those unifying prayers with them.

Those of you reading this now please prayerfully consider starting a Children's Rosary at your parish.  You do not need to have children.  We have had many wonderful groups begun by grandparents or even young people without children.  The important thing is to start such a group so that our children will have the chance to learn to pray and to pray with others on a regular basis.  Such lessons will stay with them their whole life.
Other posts you may enjoy:
How to Start a Children's Rosary Group