Mama, Can The Brain Be Cleansed?

“Mama, can the brain be cleansed? Like when you take a bath, you clean the germs off your body?” asked my youngest last night, right in the middle of Mass proceedings.

That made me step back for a moment. In my mind, why this line of questioning? Why did my kid, all of a sudden, wonder whether the brain was like a piece of garment that could be washed off and left in the sun to dry? Having been a parent for 13 years and counting, you’d think I should have known this was coming. 

But no, I just had no idea where questions such as these were coming from.

So as simply as I could manage, I whispered in his ear, “The brain is dirty if a person always thinks bad thoughts. The brain is clean if a person thinks only of good thoughts.” I have a feeling this kid of mine is going to grow up brainier than I ever could be, I genuinely hope I just gave him the answer he needs.

He nodded. And for a while there, there were no more questions.

Minutes later, while standing up for the Our Father, he said, "Mama, I'm too tired to keep standing already."

My daughter overheard his remark and whispered to him, "Do you see Jesus on the cross right there up front? He'd been hanging there for some time already, but he's not complaining. Do you want me to put you up there and see for yourself how that might feel?"

"Only if you go first," came the stubborn reply.

I couldn't help but smile. With these kids around, no day can ever be that dull.