It always tickles me to see how very young children behave before, during, and after receiving “the Body of Christ, the Bread of Heaven.” Little-bitty children who can’t talk yet reach out their hands, clearly knowing that I’m bringing them something very special. At our early service a couple of years ago, we had a young child, not quite two, who would sneak out of the pew before I was done with the prayer of consecration. He'd come over to the side of the altar area and quietly stand in front of the communion rail, hands outstretched, waiting for me to finish. Like the other children, he knew, in some way or another, that what he was participating in is special and that it has something to do with being loved.

One of my favorite memories of giving communion to a small child, is of a little girl in my last parish named Mackensie.  She was the first baby I ever baptised. We didn't know it at the time, but she was born profoundly deaf. I was with her parents in the recovery room after she had her first cochlear implant. She was two years old at the time, and when she woke up after her surgery, I had the great blessing of being there when she heard her parents' voices for the first time. I also was there when she was in church the first time after her surgery. That first church service that she could hear just happened to be our St. Andrew's Day celebration, and it included bagpipes!

It was rare that I ever saw Mackensie without a huge, joyful grin on her face, and that was how she always approached the communion rail. When I put the host in her hands, she wouldn’t say the customary "amen" or even "thank you" the way some children do. Silently, she would start pointing vigorously at the person next to her at the rail. At first, I thought it was just that she wanted to make sure her daddy got the bread of heaven too, but then I noticed that she did the same thing, even when someone she didn't know very well was on her left. No matter who it was, she was always eager and concerned that her neighbor get to have communion too. Clearly she wanted her neighbor to share in something that gave her so much joy.

Isn’t that really what stewardship is all about? Sharing what comes to us from God (everything does) with the world around us? Fortunately for Mackensie, three-year-olds aren’t too preoccupied with the kinds of things that drag us down as grown-ups. But basic needs are important to kids, as is getting a share of what everyone else is getting. What made Mackensie’s response remarkable is that before she would partake of her own share, she wanted to be sure the person next to her had something too. My prayer for the Mackensies of this world, is that they keep that generous spirit as they grow older. My prayer for myself is that I become less preoccupied with having enough for myself, and more focused on what I can share with others.

 O Lord, giver of life and source of freedom, we know that all we have received is from your hand. Gracious and loving Father, you call us to be stewards of your abundance, the caretakers of all you have entrusted to us. Help us to always use your gifts wisely and teach us to share them joyfully and generously. Send the Holy Spirit to work through us, bringing your message to those we serve. May our faithful stewardship bear witness to the love of Jesus Christ in our lives. We pray with grateful hearts, in Jesus’ name. Amen.