I sat with my grand-daughter and grandson recently during the weekly chapel time at their school. There was a guest speaker giving an interactive and very lively presentation on sin and temptation. It was very engaging, and the kids, grades one through five, were totally into it, my grandkids included.
Because my daughter and I were present, my grandkids were allowed to sit with us in the very back. Just in front of us sat “the big kids” — the fifth graders.
There happened to be five fifth-grade girls sitting together very proper in their uniforms and ponytails. They were attentive to the speaker and enthusiastically cheered all the student volunteers in the presentation. And when it was time to pray, they were reverent. When it was time to sing, they stood and sang praise to God doing all the song choreography as well. They were exuberant.
I looked over to see my granddaughter’s gaze planted squarely on those girls. She smiled when she saw them cheer and laugh with each other as they fully participated.
Now my granddaughter can be rather shy, so I was gratified to see her watching and learning from the example of these girls. It somehow seemed to validate her own participation in praising Jesus.
Another example:
On the front page of this issue of The Observer there is a story about the annual Rite of Election. For the second year in a row there has been a ceremony with record attendance by those preparing to enter in full communion with the Catholic faith. Bishop David Malloy even mentions the numbers in his homily and has mentioned the increase in people entering the Church in previous homilies, talks and even in his column. Bishop Malloy has said “something is happening,” indicating that there seems to be a societal shift that is bringing people to God.
As I read the story by Amanda Hudson it occurred to me that one of the answers to why people are inspired to seek the Lord is right there in her article. “Reading the Bible and presence of a faithful grandmother encouraged many of them.”
That brought to mind all the people who take time to pray in their homes in the presence of others. It brought to mind all the folks that make the effort to go to Mass weekly or even daily. While they walk into Mass, someone sees them go in and out of the church.
They see the ads on television and billboards about Be Reconciled and then observe the long lines for confession on that day. There are people who see folks going to and from the adoration chapels around the diocese. They see the livestreams of Mass online and watch people as they pray and wish each other peace and then receive the Lord through the Eucharist.
And I know I have written about this before, but people watch others all the time, and many times folks make personal life choices based on what they have learned from what they have witnessed.
We are all being watched.
It may be young eyes or old, but those eyes are taking in our examples of how to pray, how to mourn, how to serve and how to live in Christ. What is seen matters.
I have been in a lot of meetings over the years where very smart people debate what the Church needs and what is right and wrong with the Church. It seems like those conversations always fault and/or credit the family, catechesis, society, etc.
But the answer to evangelization ultimately lies at our very feet. It just takes the inspiration of one person to effect change in the life of another. As we realize this and seek to work on ourselves, it may take a while, but if we are authentic in our faith, someone will see it. Perhaps the prayerful grandmothers of the world or the joyous fifth grade girls of the world don’t realize it, but they are powerful teachers.
All because someone is watching you.
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