WHAT WOULD JESUS DO???

Dinnertime on a Wednesday night is a very important time for me. It is the time that I get my religious education. Yes, the time that I missed in religious education on those Saturday mornings when I didn’t want to be in the church basement of St Joseph the Worker Church in East Patchogue, NY.

TLW (The Little Woman) is fresh from her religious class and tells me about the day’s lesson.  This one night the lesson was about Jesus, and what would he do. TLW wrapped two boxes, one in gift-wrapping paper and one in newspaper, the idea being to challenge the little second graders. That is what she says! I say deceive in the name of Jesus.

What she did was wrapped the gift paper box and inside was crumpled up newspapers. In the newspaper wrapped box was a bunch of necklaces that said Jesus and some colorful ice cream themed erasers.

Setting the boxes next to each other she asked: “Which one would you choose?” Of course the little heathens all lined up behind the gift-wrapped box. Except one kid, who happened to be in 4^th grade, he stood back and watched. “Jimmy, aren’t you going to choose?” inquired TLW.

“Nah, I thought I’d see what everyone else choose and then pick the opposite!” said the over-aged tyke.

Well the newspaper wrapped gift box held the treasures. A necklace that said: JESUS, and a rubber eraser, like I mentioned.

And so, came her lesson. Looking at me to participate she says:

“You are in a candy store. You see a piece of candy you really like. You look around and no adult is around, what do you do?”

This question scares me, there is a lot I could do, I mean, I do have imagination. I feel the heat of being on the spot.

TLW goes on: “You would look around. You would find an adult. If you didn’t see an adult you would ask yourself, WHAT WOULD JESUS DO? Then you would prayer.”

“Nah, I’d take the chocolate.”

Let me hear an AMEN!