A story about forgiveness (6th grade level reality)

Me and the hubby teach 6th grade religion classes at our parish on Wednesday night at about 8pm to 9pm.

First of all I am not sure who thought that students of the 6th grade level could get up at 6 am, go to school, go home, do homework, eat, chores, and whatever else they have to do, and then get dropped off at church at 7 pm for a quiet mass and then an hour class - the logistics alone set up delirious insanity at every turn. Not to mention, it is 6th grade. Who ever had a great 6th grade? That is correct, no one - ever.

I have my own delusions as well, "Oh, the curriculum is on forgiveness - how sweet. Such a loving thing, and we get to do skits SO MUCH FUN!" So I am getting ready for class, about love, and God loves us so much he forgives us always when we ask etc. Then I turn the page and all of a sudden, the curriculum talks in depth about self-control. Huh, never really thought of forgiveness and self-control together. But then it has been a really long time since I was a kid as well.

In the skits, the kids were supposed to show an example of self-control. Reality: all the skits were about NOT having self-control and the violence that ensued was usually verbal or physical (violence ALWAYS ensued making me wonder if all wars start this way). It wasn't always about them either, parents.  They had people on cell phones ignoring the rest of the world and causing accidents and all the harm that such things caused. There were kids who gossiped about others and got what was coming to them. Etc. Honestly, I had no idea that a person exercises so much self control on an hourly, maybe even momentary basis! After the loss of self control from all parties, there was no forgiveness. Nope, they weren't really down for that. They were all on their last nerves from the out of control behavior of "others".

Then attempting to bring it down a notch, and learning that love can still happen and forgiveness is still an option after things have all fallen apart in such a bad way - was the best I could do after this.  All kids totally understood the confession/repentance that we have as a sacrament after that. So, I guess that is a positive thing.

While wrapping it up, we are all saying the Act of Contrition together (written in their notebooks) and while we are praying a lady walks in and evidently during the prayer (me and my hubby didn't see it since we were praying and reading) we have two boys fighting in the back of the class. Seriously? While we are praying the act of contrition in religion class, really??

I think about Genesis now in light of this class. God, "I made you in my image. I love you soo much. I will give you whatever you want, just leave that fruit tree alone." People, "I wonder what it tastes like. I double dog dare you! I accidentally ate it on purpose..." Then violence for everyone!