I love to walk in our neighborhood. It is good to relax, enjoy the beauty of nature, reflect in silence, pray, or sometimes engage in a conversation with a neighbor, but always prepared to be "surprised" ...like a child.
Earlier this week, I passed by a large number of young children (six or seven) playing in the street. I had never seen them before, probably new neighbors. I simply said "Hello". One of the boys responded: "Do you play baseball?” First surprise ... Nobody had ever asked me! Then, I realized he was looking at my “Blue Crabs” cap. I simply said: "No, do you play basketball?"
Then, the next question was the second surprise: "Are you English?". I said, "No, French". His little sister, next to him, asked: "Do you know the Queen of England?" ..."I know of her. " "Have you met her?" ... "No, but I have met the Queen of Sweden" (not a lie...it was a one-hour meeting with the President of the World Bank to talk about how to help poor children in Brazil). Then I asked the group: "Does anyone of you speak two languages?". One said: "Yes, English and Japanese" My answer was direct:" Nihongo-wo hanashimasu" Translated: “I too speak Japanese". Then, there was silence...
"What is your name?" asked the young boy...At that very moment, I thought of "The Little Prince", one of my favorite books by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (Le Petit Prince). I responded: "My name is Alain. People call me Father Alain. I am a Catholic Priests (pointing out my white collar). My Catholic Church is close to here in Waldorf." ...“Are you rich?"... " No, but God is rich” ... “Can you pray for me?" I did pray over all the children... And continued my walk.
Two little girls two houses down the street stopped me: "What were you doing?". I was praying over those children. "Can you do that for us? " I obliged and kept walking. Will I find other surprises? Will I meet again the Little Prince and his friends?
No more surprises... I had almost completed my way back home when I saw Little Prince and his friends. One of them asked me: "Have you seen my bicycle?" " Where did you leave it?". This gave time to his friend the Little Prince to ask me deeper questions one after another: "Have you met God?... Do you know Jesus?... How does one go to Heaven? ...If I sin, can I go to Heaven? .... How is Heaven?". I responded to each question with few words and each answer prompted another question.
If you have read "The Little Prince", you may recognize the inquisitive mind of this angelic, little boy who had landed from space and encountered an airplane pilot who was lost in the desert. If you have not read it, I encourage you to discover this amazing encounter. It is a very short book, just a few pages, simple words and beautiful drawings you will never forget. The book will make you think!
Whether or not you have read or will read the Little Prince, I invite you to try to answer the above questions about God, Jesus, Sin, and Heaven. These do not have to be long answers. They could be as short as the ones I gave the Little Prince of Waldorf. Given the sequence of the questions, can you guess my own an- swers to the Little Prince? Stay tuned. All this will be covered in next week's column.
As we prepare to join and celebrate with Bishop Dorsonvile this coming Sunday afternoon, may God provide all of us a JOYFUL FEAST, A GREAT FIESTA!
One in Christ,
Fr. Alain