Matthew Monday: Matthew’s First Ashes

Matthew attended his first Ash Wednesday Mass and received ashes for the first time. 

He was a little nervous, but I held him as we approached the altar. 

And while at Mass I usually allow him to have a little toy or pen and paper to occupy him when he gets a bored.  There are a couple of theories on this and I fall on the side that’s impossible for a child to have the attention span to focus the entire hour, especially when he doesn’t have an understanding of what’s being said.  I want him to enjoy Mass, not make it a drudgery.  So I make him pay attention to the parts he understands, but I leave him to himself for the other parts, as long as he doesn’t distract the other parishioners.  At this Ash Wednesday Mass he drew the family and wrote “mom and dad” by himself.  I thought this was excellent.

I know I couldn't write letters when I was in Kindergarten, let alone words, and I don’t think I could draw either.