For Those Outside the Church Who will Open the Door?

It is an interesting question.  I relate it to an experience I had several weeks ago.  Arriving at Church as I usually do, I found I was a bit later then most days and I feared that all had already entered the Church for Mass.  See I have a genetic condition which affects joints and results in joint instability.  Although I can no longer drive I can by the grace of God walk to Church.  However, my hands are too weak to open the Church doors.  So I stand and wait at the door until someone comes along to let me in.  There have been a few instances such as this particular day, when I arrive close to the start of Mass and all have already entered.  It is at such times, when the large wooden doors stand closed and I am outside that I wonder how I will get in.  There is a no way I would attempt to open the door myself as this would surely result in a joint dislocation.  And so I remain outside.

This one particular day, a few weeks ago, a cold wind had kicked up and I stood praying with a little prayer book by the door.  Looking up I noticed a child walking toward me with her mother at a distance.

Her mother inquired if I needed help and I said, yes.  Her daughter ran on and opened the door.  As I passed through she smiled at me.  I did not know the little girl or her mother.  They had been waiting in a car for school to start, as there is a parochial school associated with our Church.  I marvelled as I prayed at Mass that it was a child who opened the door to the Church for me.  It occurred to me that many stand outside the Church unable to open the door themselves.  The cause of the obstacle is different for each person.  Yet there is a comfort and ease of accepting help from a child.  They do not judge the one in need and seem only to happy to be of assistance.

I would meet this girl again only a week ago.  She again saw me waiting at the door and this time seemed to know just what to do.  I asked her name and she said Hannah.  She mentioned she was in second grade, probably 7 or 8 years old.

It gave me joy to see this little one with smiles so eager to help. I did not feel silly needing the help as so often I do when asking the help of a stranger. 

It occurred to me that our children are uniquely suited to reach out to others who silently wait for help.

Recently such a thing happened within the Children's Rosary. A member of our group asked for prayers for a man whose knee joint replacement had failed.  He was without a joint and in horrible pain.  The children began praying for this man and his wife who was caring for him.  Something beautiful happened.  The wife felt so moved that children were praying for her husband that she encouraged her daughter to begin a Children's Rosary, buying the books needed for the children.  She herself is not Catholic but her daughter had recently converted.  An unlikely individual to encourage a group to form but children have a way of bringing people together.

As more Children's Rosary groups form it is my hope that more people will experience the help and love of our children and through them they will be drawn closer to the warm embrace of Our Lord. 

Other posts you may enjoy:
Children's Rosary turns 1
How to Start a Children's Rosary
A Grandmother's Experience with the Children's Rosary