January 4, 2023 It was my favorite gift of the season, and it wasn’t something wrapped and placed under a Christmas tree. My son, Jake, who is 15, was asked to serve as the narrator for our parish’s kids’ Christmas pageant, performed before the start of the vigil Mass on Christmas Eve. I’m not sure any of us knew how that would go. As I’ve mentioned before, Jake has autism. While he does very well in most situations, speech and reading were areas in which he struggled. He had no functional language until he was around 3 years old. He has never really enjoyed reading. He’s always found it to be work. I got a glimpse of what to expect during the rehearsal, but it still left me awe struck when that young man stepped to the lectern and read fluidly and beautifully with not even the smallest hint of nervousness in his voice. He seemed proud of himself. My husband and I were proud too. It almost as gratifying to see how our parish community rallied around him and all the kids who participated in the pageant, as well as those who served during the Mass (there were four altar servers, including Jake). These kids were praised for their participation and encouraged to continue participating. We were encouraged too. After Mass, my parents joined us at our small home in Moira for a simple dinner. As he usually does when he’s at our house, my father mentioned how glad he is that we didn’t buy another house we had toured when we were in the market, a house in another community. We were glad too. The whole evening was a great reminder that God put us where we’re supposed to be and has equipped us with the gifts and graces we need to be there. It also reminded me that I also need to follow God’s call and be the kind of person who makes others feel proud, encouraged and glad, as well. |
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