A Wonderful, Glorious Event ...

happened in our domestic church last night.

Our pastor came to bless our new home and to break bread with us. The littles were very excited that Father was coming for dinner -- spending all day trying to keep things picked up and tidy (and easily found so that they could show him everything they've gotten in the past couple of weeks). But this wasn't "the wonderful, glorious event" (although miraculous for my kids to pickup of their own volition).

The "wonderful, glorious event" was the WAY Father did the blessing. Coming just before dinner, Father entered with his aspersorium and prayer books, covered with a light dusting of snow. Father gathered us in the living room -- all eight family members and Father, ranged in a circle, began the blessing, as we begin in all things ... "In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Father then read the opening prayer. But then he paused and did something that he is a master at -- he explained to my littles (and all of us) why we would want to have our house blessed: why we would ask that God be visit us when we were home, travel with us when we were away, and welcome us back when we came home.

Father read the story of Zaccheus from the Gospel of Luke. He asked LegoManiac what God was trying to tell us with this reading -- LegoManiac answered, "God wants to help sinners."

With the littles leading, Father sprinkled every corner of our house with holy water -- and BamBam who kept saying "bless me, Father; bless me". As the snow fell softly outside, Father sprinkled the dining room and the kitchen, the bathrooms and the bedrooms; he sprinkled the doors we come in and the doors we go out.

"God wants to help sinners".

And that's why we had our new home blessed ... and that's why we want God to be near us ... and that's why we ask God's help in our homeschool journey.