Holy Redeemer School - where all of our kids went from kindergarten through 8th grade, and my husband also the generation ahead of them, and then his mother went there too! So Simon represents the 4th generation to be blessed with an Catholic education! There is a tradition that the 8th graders and their parents make a wonderful graduation hat of the kindergarteners and present it to them at a special mass at the end of the year... Simon experienced this yesterday, and his mom, Ruth, was deeply moved to have her son now experience the joy of this now shared experiences at HRS!
Simon was so sweet as he introduced his brother and sister to the school nurse... then he noticed a chart on the wall that showed how we age throughout our life and this led to a discussion of our dying at the end of our lives and "then we are put in the ground." This was followed by a discussion on the spiritual level of our souls continuing to live forever with God in heaven and that we will have a new a beautiful and healthy glorious body and not the old one... Quite a deep discussion,but this is what is so amazing about little Simon!
It was very exciting for me to hear Simon's teacher share that Simon "shares Jesus and Mary with the class." I got the chance to ask her what she meant by this..."Do you say that about every child because they are made in the image of God?" She told me that she said this about Simon because he goes beyond the facts about their faith that some kids know... like Jesus was born to Mary and he is the Son of God... "Simon, takes it to a different level... he takes it to a more spiritual place." This is vey wonderful to hear, and I know that between his parents and grandparents that we don't sit around having theological or philosophical discussions all the time, although we do have "talks" about issues of importance that involve our faith - like talking about the life/abortion issue a few weeks ago before we went and prayed outside an abortion clinic - It still seems that much of this depth has come from Simon attending mass every week with his family, and watching his parents and grandparents participating with all their heart and soul and now his dad with his voice as he is a song leader... He also sees his grandpa as a Eucharistic minister and that is such a powerful example also! 
So it just seemed so right for Simon to launch into this deep discussion of life and death... he has the full scope of life that is much more than the nose in front of your face... it is expanded to infinity by the Spirit world that surrounds us and dwells within us! Praise Him!
Yes, he can be a stinker of a big brother too.. giving his brother a finger in the ear... Jesus, we thank you for the joy of family and the growth in mysterious ways that occur when we worship together and share about you in our homes in our day to day lives! The seed is planted and takes root and grows within our inner being... the tree of faith grows so strong and the fruit that it bears is for all to see! Jesus, we love and honor you and your amazing Mother and all the angels and saints! So many to look up to and to help us on our journey called life with YOU! Jesus, we trust in you! Amen and Halleluia! 
Bless-bless, Barb the fervent52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. The Gospel for today! John 6:52-59 Simon will have to wait a couple years for his first communion, but I think that he will be excited and ready after attending mass every week with his family! Seeing grandpa give out the body and the blood and watching his parents and grandparents bow down in deep adoration before God come to feed us with the food of everlasting LIFE!
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