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Then I realized that it was Saint Blaise's feast day and that the line going up to the kneelers (after a brief moment where I thought "we aren't that late, are we?") was for the blessing of the throats. I whispered and asked Sadie if she would like to go up to be blessed and she whispered back "yes" enthusiastically. As we approached the altar I whispered a second time, telling her that she would need to kneel like a big girl on the kneeler.
Which is probably when the excitement just about overwhelmed her since she's pretty much been waiting to kneel on her own kneeler next to me for the past two years. So she knelt next to me and received the blessing with a candle just like the one above (I'd never seen one like that before!). I think she crossed herself all of three times while kneeling there. Then it was Patrick's turn for a blessing, still in the Moby Wrap, and I gently hushed Sadie as she started to say: "Excuse me, excuse me, that's my little brother and..." her voice trailed off beneath my quiet "shhhhhhh" although I imagine her next words would have been "he's too little" because clearly in her mind this was a very, very big girl thing to be doing.
Of course that meant that she renewed her efforts to receive the Eucharist when communion time came around, tilting her little head back and sticking out her tongue hopefully.
Only three more years kid. You're more than halfway there.
That's so cute...I love her little princess dress too, I think my daughter has one very similar!
ReplyDeleteSomehow we didn't have the St Blaise blessing at Mass at our Church. Glad that you did!
At our parish the blessing of the throats comes immediately after the final blessing at Mass. We are among the few parishes in our state that have it, but we've always had it ever since I've been going there (converted nearly 16 years ago), both with our former pastor and our current one. It's a long standing practice at this parish. I'm not sure why so many priests skip this particular sacramental.
ReplyDeleteLiz: It's because it's very conveniently timed. ;) When better to get a blessing for your throat than in the middle of cold/flu season?
ReplyDeleteI've never done this and now I almost wish I had - I must confess I did not go to mass yesterday. I work on Sundays and mass lets out just ten minutes too late for me to safely or comfortably travel to work.