MSB {2}: The Theology of Cheese

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Mass.

With kids.

(cue the most terrifying music ever known to humankind)

The last two weeks we’ve resumed attending as a family after trying for the past yearish to split up so Moe didn’t go regularly. Sometimes we couldn’t avoid splitting up, so Moe has occasionally gone to church in that time.

Getting Ready

 

Moe is so difficult at Mass…being quiet and sitting still are not his forte. Nor is listening to instructions, if we’re being honest. Being three is hard. Managing a three year old at Mass is harder.

Last week wasn’t awful, so we went in with the same game plan, seating chart, and prayer that we all survive.

The pew order: Cee, David holding Bea, Moe, Me, Elle.

That meant I was on Moe duty. I held him, let him chew my scarf, and generally tried to keep him from getting completely out of control. We brought some of our children’s Bibles for him to look through. I did try to encourage him to participate. He’s gone to Mass enough to know what happens, but we haven’t really talked about the meaning behind things yet.

Me: (holding Moe, trying to keep him engaged) Now the bread has turned into Jesus.
Moe: Is that bread?
Me: No, it’s Jesus now.
Moe: So, is it bread or cheese?
Me: (confused as to what cheese has to do with anything) It’s Jesus. It used to be bread, but now it’s Jesus.
Moe: (now visibly confused) It’s cheese?
Me: No, it’s not cheese. It’s Juh, Juh, Jesus, not chuh, chuh, cheese. Like on the cross.
Moe: So it’s bread?
Me: No, it’s Jesus.
Moe: ……………..
Moe: Can I have the cheese?
Me: You can receive Jesus when you are 7. And potty-trained.
I was sure to hold his hand down when I carried him up during Communion time.  I didn’t want him trying to further investigate this bread-cheese-Jesus mystery.

That my friends, is good parenting. Start talking about cheese and transubstantiation young.

Other than one of the kids licking the pew and another trying to take the offering envelope of the lady in front of us, we mostly did okay.  If you happened to be at the same Mass and saw one of my kids doing something way worse, much grosser, or unbelievably distracting, please DO NOT tell me.  I need a little Mass victory in order to have the chutzpah to make it back next week.

 

Oh, the picture?  Here is my actual Sunday best.  Same dress (different color) and shoes from last week.  A cardigan from Lands’ End, and hand-me-down scarf, which is my favorite.

My Sunday Best

 

Elle took the picture and did manage to get my head and feet in the shot.  That’s an improvement over last week!

If you’re wondering, the cottonballed blue solo cup is not the latest trend in light fixtures, it was an Ascension craft from VBS.  There’s a ribbon that pulls Jesus up and down into “heaven,” and we have it attached to the ceiling fan chain.  You can see Jesus’ feet peeking out.  I think this reinforces the idea that our decorating style is Crayola Chic.

Anyway, thanks, Rosie, for hosting My Sunday Best! (Have you seen Rosie’s blog? It’s lovely.)

15 Comments


  1. // Reply

    Soooo— I went to the thrift store to up my count of maternity shirts (they seem to have all disappeared over the past two years– or they are all too warm for right now) and guess what else I found… A lands end dress!!!!! Just like you’ve been talking about! I got it and wore it alllll day today. It was too comfy for me to change out of! So yes- you are telling the truth— it’s awesome.


    1. // Reply

      I can’t even believe it. You’ll have to let me know what thrift stores you go to — what great luck! 🙂


  2. // Reply

    “The theology of Cheese”. I couldn’t *not* click on a link with that title. It was well worth the click 😉


    1. // Reply

      That could be the title of my autobiography for too many reasons to count.


  3. // Reply

    Oh, 3yo boys… Peter was so, so good at Mass for so long, and I’m not looking forward to the 3yo stage with him! When John Paul was that age, I remember him loudly reenacting the stations of the cross while we went up to Communion. Including falling for the first, second, and third times *while* in the communion line, me dragging him along with a twin in my arms…

    I was going to guess that that cup was an Ascension craft! We’ve done one like that before, too 🙂

    Love the outfit and the scarf especially!


  4. // Reply

    Crayola Chic, I love this! Our trouble one at Mass is our now mobile 1 year old! I don’t even think a story about Jesus and cheese would keep him still ?


    1. // Reply

      Erin! We need to catch up. I’d love to hear updates on the kiddos!


  5. // Reply

    I love your scarf and that is a really fun coral cardigan. So bright and fun!


  6. // Reply

    Kendra over at Catholic All Year has talked about how much easier it is to hold down a grabby kid arm when you receive on the tongue. I had literally never thought about that before!

    I am also a fan of having the same item in different colors. I have my favorite shirt in 7 different colors! I wear them to work a lot… usually at least 2 per week!


    1. // Reply

      It’s nice to know there are other people with cartoon character closets (you know, with a bunch of the same thing). 🙂


    1. // Reply

      I hope Moe has forgotten about it all by then…theology is best discussed not in whispers during the consecration. 🙂


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