Malcolm Ellis, an Episcopal priest...
Illustration
Object:
Malcolm Ellis, an Episcopal priest in St. Paul, Minnesota, tells a story of his daughter,
Michelle, who was five years old. It seems Michelle came up to her father one day and
said, "Here, Daddy, I want you to have this." She placed in his big hands her favorite
necklace.
Her father objected, as most fathers would: "Thank you so much, Michelle, but this is your necklace."
She insisted, and he asked why. "Well, Daddy," she said, "I know you're going to die before me, and I want you to always remember me, and if you keep my necklace -- you will."
Malcolm was just about to tell her she had everything mixed up, that what she really needed was something of his, to remember him by. But then it dawned on him what was really going on in her mind -- and the innocence and the depth of her childlike faith filled him with wonder.
"This little one," he said to himself, "believes in the resurrection. She knows that after life there will be a new life. It will be different and maybe I won't see her and be with her as I am right now. But I will know her -- always."
Her father objected, as most fathers would: "Thank you so much, Michelle, but this is your necklace."
She insisted, and he asked why. "Well, Daddy," she said, "I know you're going to die before me, and I want you to always remember me, and if you keep my necklace -- you will."
Malcolm was just about to tell her she had everything mixed up, that what she really needed was something of his, to remember him by. But then it dawned on him what was really going on in her mind -- and the innocence and the depth of her childlike faith filled him with wonder.
"This little one," he said to himself, "believes in the resurrection. She knows that after life there will be a new life. It will be different and maybe I won't see her and be with her as I am right now. But I will know her -- always."
