On October 9, 1859, a young girl by the name of Adele Brise encountered a beautiful
lady “clothed in dazzling white, with a yellow sash around her waist. She had a crown of
stars around her head, and her long golden wavy hair fell loosely over her shoulders”
(https://championshrine.org/our-story/). Adele asked the meaning behind the lady’s visit.
The woman replied, “Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they
should know for salvation. Teach them their catechism, how to sign themselves with the
sign of the Cross, and how to approach the sacraments; that is what I wish you to do”
(Ibid).
Such was the apparition (which is approved) of Our Lady of Champion in Brown County,
Wisconsin. She left Adele with these final words: “Go and fear nothing, I will help you”
(Ibid).
Focus on the Children
Like His Mother, Jesus also encourages us to focus on the children. In today’s Gospel,
we encounter children being brought before Jesus (Matt 19:13). Not only does He
receive them, but He insists upon it.
Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven
belongs to such as these” (Ibid,19:14). Jesus knows that children need Him. From a
literary point of view, the words themselves confirm this reality. If we count the words
Jesus and children (and their pronouns), we will discover that the Gospel uses them
more than any of the others. This is another way for the Gospel to emphasize the
inseparable relationship that Jesus seeks to have with children. He wants their hearts.
But that is only one part of the equation. If we look at the start of the Gospel, we will
notice parents (that is my guess) bringing the children to Jesus. The children do not
come on their own. Children depend upon others to find Jesus.
Several years ago, the Mafulta family gathered for a family reunion. During the
gathering, Mrs. Mafulta noticed that one of her nieces — a five-year-old girl — seemed
to go unnoticed by the rest of the crowd. Instead of ignoring the observation, Mrs.
Mafulta quickly rummaged through her attic, found a few bouncy balls, and invited the
young child to play a game the young woman had once enjoyed at that age. The girl
smiled and giggled with glee. That game had done the trick.
It had not taken much to show her Jesus; and we, too, can do the same.
Human Formation
In a concrete way, we show children Jesus when we offer them human formation. God
has entrusted children to each of us whether as a parent, relative, priest or religious,
friend, babysitter, or teacher. Has our life helped to light up their path toward sainthood?
In some moments, we may be called to “play bouncy balls.” At other times, we may be
showing the child the beauty of the rosary. A close friend once advised me: teach them
how to have fun and use leisure well; unveil the words, gestures, and meaning of the
Mass, using the missalette; have a mission for your family; read The Catechism of the
Catholic Church with them; teach them the art of conversation; reveal the reason we
genuflect or show reverence before the Blessed Sacrament; and bring them to
adoration, bring them to adoration, bring them to adoration; and last but not least, teach
them how to love Mary and her rosary with a love that penetrates the very marrow of
their bones.
We are not alone. “Go and fear nothing,” she says. “I will help you.”
Our Lady of Champion, pray for us.
