by Pam Tinsley

For as long as I can remember, our four-year-old granddaughter Sienna has prayed. When she was learning to talk, she would sit on our couch with a small Book of Common Prayer – just the right size for a child – and “say prayers.” Although only the words “the Spirit,” and “Amen” were discernible to our ears, she and God certainly knew what she was praying!

As Sienna got a bit older, she began to lead grace at dinner. She still insists that each of us take a turn thanking God before we eat. And before bed, Sienna and her mom sing “Jesus loves me” together. She especially loves the music at church (and Sunday school!), and whenever she’s at an Episcopal church, she follows along with “her Bible” – that small BCP – even though she can’t yet read!                                                            

On Sunday mornings in May while we were on vacation together, I would tune into my parish’s on-line worship service. Sienna quickly joined me. Together we sang the opening hymn, responded to the Liturgy of the Word, and listened to the Gospel reading.

Then the sermon began. Sienna seemed captivated, even as the preacher delved into a thought-provoking sermon about what it means to be human and about the Church’s role in the age of artificial intelligence. I couldn’t believe that this four-year-old was still paying attention! Then the preacher mentioned the soul. Without missing a beat, Sienna began to sing the familiar song, “I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river, I’ve got peace like a river in my soul.”

In all three synoptic Gospels, Jesus says, “Let the little children come to me.”  Our experiences with Sienna are examples of how children give adults a glimpse of God’s Kingdom and how our littlest ones can minister to us. We need only to have eyes to see and ears to hear!