Hogging God

"Mommy, why is God invisible?" Boyo asked me this the other day, as we were driving to his new school for Back To School Night.

"Uh... so He can be with us all the time," I said, thinking quickly.  I know.  I don't know what I was talking about either.

"Cuz if we see Him other people might think He is not there," Boyo concluded.

"Uh... exactly."

"I think He's invisible so He can go to my new school."

"Okay," I said, wondering where this was coming from. "Do you want God to go to your new school?"

"Yeah," Boyo said.  "So I'll have a friend in my class on the first day."

And at that point, my heart shattered.

Boyo has started at a new school every year of his short academic career.  Part of that is because of the move and part of that is because his Daddy and I chose a school that was not a great fit for him last year.  So while I have convinced myself that he will be okay starting at a new school -- because he knows nothing different -- he managed to make it crystal clear that it might not be okay.

"Are you nervous about a new school?" I asked him.

"No.  God is going to my new school.  And there is a playground there just for God."

"There is?"  I asked not sure what a playground has to do with starting a new school and God.

"Uh huh," Boyo said matter of factly,  "It's little and in the back.  And it's only for God.  But He said I could go there and play with Him if I was lonely."

"That's really nice of God," I said, chuckling to myself as I realized that Boyo was describing the 3 year old playground in the back of the school.

"And He's invisible so that the other kids don't get greedy."

"Get greedy?"

"Uh huh.  When you are greedy, you hog God." 

My 4 year old son just managed to explain faith in a way that 12 years of catholic education couldn't.