Last Sunday in Mass there was a young mom with her littles sitting behind us. Toddler Little was all over the place and loud about it. My inflexible old grouchy self wanted to be stern and uninviting. I had my own struggles. The pews are hard and hurt my back. The kneeling is slow with my bad knee from two falls last October. My hearing isn’t what it used to be from listening to all those bad hair bands in the seventies. It’s hard to focus in Mass cause it’s stressful, cold, depressing winter and my life is filled with those in need of prayer and so little time to pray. Plus, we arrived late and someone had the audacity to sit in our pew resulting in us sitting in a totally different area of the sanctuary because it was so crowded. So I wasn’t in the mood to be patient with littles. But then I remembered all those moments of the elderly’s impatience with my littles. How alone and judged I felt. How hard it was to go back week after week. My heart softened and I turned around at the sign of peace and shook momma’s hand and those of her three beautiful babes and welcomed them. Coincidentally, littles were very quiet and focused the rest of Mass. I imagine it is so pleasing to Him who is working a good work in each of us, the crying babe and the grouchy biddy, when we welcome each other, help each other, are kind to one another as we gather to give Him the Glory and Praise. Peace to each of you in the middle of this cold winter.