It is sweet to be able to take Benjamin to church again. He had a hiatus for a few years, not only because of the pandemic but because of his anxiety. Now he can participate. 

 

One week he was the only one in the room eager to light candles, and had them all to himself. Small children and their mothers arrived a bit late that day. When he came back to sit with me he was thoughtful. I assumed he would be glad he had a chance to light as many as he wanted. 

 

"I'm sad that the other kids missed it."

 

The week that the minister talked about the house built on a rock his hand shot up. 

 

"It is like the three little pigs." Pretty much. 

 

The time the topic was prayer he reminded me that Symba prayed to Mufasa. 

 

This past Sunday the theme was how the flock is scattered, and bringing them back to the fold. John and I were singing a prelude, and sat in a different part of the cathedral, but his brother told me what Ben's reflection was. 

 

"In Star Wars the Jedi were scattered, too."

 

The distance between what God is trying to express and the limits of my mind to comprehend it is vast. I may pat myself on the back when I believe I have grasped a concept fully. But then I think of Ben. The gap between my understanding and Ben's is smaller than I think. Perhaps what matters more than the spike in your I.Q. is the length of your arms.