By Mattie Quick
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them. For it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Matthew 19:14.
At Little Blessings Child Care of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, we take these words of Our Lord seriously, not simply by teaching the children about Jesus, but by guiding them to encounter Christ. Every day we bring the little blessings in our care to visit Jesus in our chapel where they genuflect, listen, sing, pray, learn reverence for God’s house, and learn all about the Eucharist. We emphasize charity and love in our lessons and in how we ourselves model behavior for the children and it is so beautiful when we get to see those lessons take root!
The vision statement at CSS is, “To inspire hope and love in every encounter.” Children at Little Blessings have the opportunity to practice this in their own daily lives! As we walk our children to the chapel to visit Our Lord, we pass the clients in the lobby of CSS. The children see people experiencing homelessness, people who may be sleeping in the lobby because they have nowhere else to go, and families with children the same age as them who are experiencing life in very different circumstances. As we pass, the children smile at the clients, wave, and sometimes say “hello!” I have seen the faces of many brighten up at this. These brief encounters are beautiful and meaningful ways for the children to learn to see Christ in others. Matthew 25:40 tells us, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brethren of mine, you did for me.”
Back in July we had our toddler/preschool aged children color American flags and our staff wrote kind messages on the backs. Messages like, “You matter!”, “You are loved!”, and, “God is with you!” The children were then led out into the lobby by their teachers and they handed these flags out to clients and CSS staff. While some were shy, they each smiled as they gifted these little patriotic flags of hope out to strangers and CSS friends.
One young man was sitting in the corner and beamed as he was handed his flag from one of our youngest children. Afterward he said, “This meant so much to me because it came from a child. It just hit differently.”
What a beautiful moment for both the gentleman and the child to encounter Christ in one another, to share a moment of hope and love. For the child it was such a simple act. Simply giving something to another. For the gentleman it was a reminder that he was seen, valued, and loved. We all need that reminder from time to time, and his came from a little blessing.
Moments like these will shape our young Catholics into the saints of the next generation. Who will be the future Mother Teresas? Who will be the next St. Francis of Assisi? It may very well be one of these little ones whose love for Christ is nurtured through these small experiences of charity.
As we go about our day in Little Blessings Child Care of Catholic Social Services, we encounter Christ in the tabernacle, in the children, in the clients, and in each other. Every moment is a chance to inspire hope and love. Every moment is a chance to be an instrument of God’s love. Every moment is a chance to encounter Christ. When we model this to children, it plants a seed in their hearts that quickly grows and flourishes. We can see this in how the children treat each other and their teachers. These little lessons will remain with them for a lifetime!
As Catholics, it’s so important that we are raising the next generation in this beautiful spirit of hope and love. So, whether you’re a priest, a stay at home mom, a teacher, or a student, look for Christ in every encounter. Be that light in the world. And remember that the little ones are watching so model the Faith well and bring the little ones closer to Jesus.
Learn more about openings at Little Blessings Childcare of Catholic Social Services and schedule a tour: csshope.org/littleblessings
