Sometimes people do listen

It seems that at least once a day I wonder if people listen to a word I say. I'm sure you wonder the same about yourself from time to time, especially you parents.

You know what I mean. I ask a server before Mass to bring something to me and he or she simply looks at me. I ask the server at Subway for a twelve-inch tuna on wheat and she gives me instead a six-inch turkey on wheat (don't laugh; it happened). You get the idea.

Before I left St. Anthony's in Effingham, the primary grades (kindergarten through third grades) wanted to say good-bye to me and presented me with a big banner and numerous letters. It was an enjoyable and brief time with them.

Such occassions are always moments to address a lot of people all at once (even little people) and I rarely shy away from such moments.

Yesterday I received a request from one of the parents seeking help recruiting the high school students to decorate luminaries for life. She wrote:

Before you left Effingham you must have said something to the kindergarteners about how you'll pray for them if they'll pray for you. Well, that certainly stuck in my son Henry's head because ever since then he's been consistently including you in our daily family prayers. Did you realize the extent of your influence on 5 year olds?

I did indeed tell them I would pray for them every day if they prayed for me every day, but I certainly had no idea of my influence on five-year olds (I barely know how to talk to them!).

It looks like I'll have to add another specific person to my daily prayer list. Perhaps one day he'll be a priest.