Jesus, Remember Me

I’m putting on her shoes so she’s ready to leave in time for gymnastics class and her baby blues are staring straight into my eyes as if to make sure I’m paying attention, when suddenly she starts singing, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom, Jesus remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.” I pause with the shoes to spend a moment with her. To stop the rush. To acknowledge the need for her to share what she’s learned at her school. “JJ, we sing that at the end of …” I’m honestly not sure what she says because I’m still contemplating the words coming from her five year old mouth. She’s sincere. They are not just words, but prayer. She is speaking to Jesus and she wants me to hear her. Her face is flush as if she can see Him and her eyes water slightly as if she knows the meaning of the words of the “good thief”. This precious child who considers JJ her “best friend” needs a moment. There’s something so innocent and real in her friendship with me and with Jesus. She’s teaching me to slow down. To pause. I’m thankful she feels safe enough with me to burst out her belief in Jesus. It’s freeing and it’s special.

During the reading of the Passion at Mass, I took time not just with the words but with the meaning of the words and of the characters. Not the characters of some past story. These people in this story are me. Fr. Kibby gave a beautiful, short homily of how we fit into each of the scenes and how we can relate to and see ourselves in the actions of these people. We may be happy to spend some money on something special for another while others think it’s a waste. We may hoop it up when life is good and hide when life is tough. We may not make it when a friend needs us the most or fight their battle to the end. You get the idea. This week I hope and pray that we all take time to pause. That we show up and pay close attention. That we allow ourselves to burst out the goodness and mercy of Jesus. Sincerely. In prayer. And that we take time to say over and over, “Jesus, remember me.”

The picture above was taken at The Shrine of Christs’ Passion in St. John, IN. Read more about our visit in Visiting Mary.