Shoeless before the Lord

Recently a group of young boys and their fathers visited our convent to clean up the overgrowth around our pond. A day of service for the Sisters was part of their Boys Club program. We were very happy to have them with us and to feed them lots of hot dogs!

At the end of their time with us, their dad-leaders took them into our chapel for a brief teaching about charity. As they came through our front door they shed their muddy shoes and went into their chapel pews in stocking-feet. I was struck by the picture of those shoes. It reminded me of the passage from Scripture when the Lord asked Moses to remove his sandals as he approached God in the Burning Bush. (Exodus 3:5-6).

I am sure the boys and their dads didn’t think about that passage or that they were on holy ground. When I enter our chapel or our parish Church I don’t think of that fact either. But I should.

Today, sadly, reverence for the Eucharistic Presence of our Lord in our Churches is often lacking. For that reason our Sisters work very hard to impress upon the children they teach the importance of genuflecting before Jesus as they enter the Church. Perhaps the next time WE walk into Church we can mentally remove the shoes of our distractions and remind ourselves anew that we are indeed on holy ground.