No Dinosaurs in Church
by Laura Nee
“Jack,” Mama said. “You must not act like a dinosaur in church.”
“Yes Mama.”
Jack saw an icon of St. George and the Dragon. Jack thinks of dinosaurs again. His feet begin to “STAMP, STOMP, STAMP!”
Daddy grabs Jack’s hand, takes him into the Narthex, and says, “You must learn to be still in church. I want you to sit quietly for three minutes.” Yia Yia follows them out of church.
Jack sits down and tries to be still. Jack picks up a candle that has fallen on the floor and begins pretending to be St. George slaying the dragon, stabbing at the air with his candle.
“JACK! You are supposed to be sitting quietly.” Daddy bends down and takes the
candle from Jack. “
“Maybe I can help. You go back into church and we’ll be back shortly.”
Jack’s dad looks relieved. “Are you sure?”
Yia Yia nodded, “Yes.”
“OK. Listen to Yia Yia and follow her directions.”
Yia Yia grabbed Jack’s hand and pulled him to his feet. “Let’s go down to the parish hall for a few minutes.”
Jack and Yia Yia sat down at a table. Yia Yia looked at Jack and asked, “Have a hard time paying attention in church?”
“Yes,” said Jack. “I just don’t like to be still much. And I really like dinosaurs. I didn’t mean to make noise in church.”
Jack hung his head, expecting to hear more yelling about how to behave in church. He was surprised to hear Yia Yia laughing.
“I have the same trouble some times. Only my imagination isn’t quite as loud as yours.”
Yia Yia continued to chuckle.
“Really?” Jack asked.
“Oh yes. My imagination has always gotten me in trouble in school and at church. I’ve had to learn how to control it, but it’s never easy. There are still days when I don’t pay attention as much as I should.”
“Wow,” said Jack
“So, you were thinking about dinosaurs in church and then you started to behave like one. What were you doing with that candle?”
“Well, I saw the icon of St. George and the dragon. I started using the candle like a sword to pretend I was St, George. I wish there were still dinosaurs and dragons around.”
“Well,” said Yia Yia, “When we worship on Sunday mornings, it’s not just with the people we see around us in church. St. George is there also.”
Jack looked surprised
“At Pascha we celebrate Christ’s victory over death. The saints are with us in church, singing and praising God.”
“Hmm,” said Jack. Do you think St. George ever had trouble paying attention in church when he was a little boy?”
Yia Yia laughed. “I don’t know. If St. George can conquer a dragon, maybe we can control our imaginations in church. What do you think?”
“I can try,” said Jack. His voice sounded a little shaky.
“I’ll stand with you. And maybe after church, you can show me your best dinosaur…outside.”
“OK!” said Jack.
“Tap me on the shoulder if you think I’m not paying attention,” Yia Yia said.
“Really?”
“Really,” said Yia Yia. “Remember, I need help paying attention some times. I’ll tap your shoulder if I think you need help.”
Jack and Yia Yia walked right into the front of the nave. “I pay attention better if I’m close to the action,” she whispered.
“Oh no,” whispered Yia Yia, “this is the hardest part…paying attention during the homily.”
At first, Jack looked at Father. Soon, he was looking at the patterns in the rug. They looked like dancing ladies. Jack began humming a tune.He felt Yia Yia tap him on the shoulder. Jack turned his attention back to Father.
Jack sat very still, like a statue. Soon he felt Yia Yia tap him on the shoulder again. She whispered into his ear, “Pretending to be a statue doesn’t work. You have to hear what Father’s saying, not just concentrate on being still.”
Finally, the homily ended. “The Cherubic Hymn” was being sung. Jack didn’t like this part of the service. He opened his mouth and yawned noisily and felt another tap. Yia Yia whispered, “We’re singing with the angels, Jack.” Yia Yia pointed to the icons of Gabriel and Michael on either side of the iconstasis.
“Really,” Jack whispered.
“Yes. This is our time to join with them in worship. This is what that hymn is about.”
Jack looked up at the icons and started to sing, softly. No one had ever told him he was singing with angels. The air now seemed to sparkle.
The time arrived for taking communion. Yia Yia whispered in Jack’s ear, “make sure you wait until Father says, ‘amen’ before you walk away for antidoron.”
Jack took his turn, and waited as Yia Yia had instructed. He heard, “unto the healing of soul and body, the remission of sins and life everlasting, Amen.”
Father finished serving communion and Jack looked up at Yia Yia. Yia Yia wasn’t paying attention!
Jack slowly reached his hand up to Yia Yia’s arm. Gently, Jack tapped Yia Yia’s arm. Her eyes opened wide, she looked down at Jack and mouthed, “thank you.”
Yia Yia still had to tap Jack on the shoulder a few more times, but he didn’t make any noise or pretend to be a dinosaur again. The Liturgy ended and Jack met his family in the narthex. Yia Yia was waiting with him.
“Thank you, thank you,” said Jack’s father. “I don’t know what you did, but thank you!”
“Oh, we just had a little talk and agreed to help each other pay attention. Jack helped me a little here and there too. Jack has promised that after lunch, I can see him act like his favorite dinosaur. Maybe you’d like to come over to my house some time as well Jack. I have many stories to tell.”
“I would like that,” said Jack.
“I am really proud of you, Jack,” said his Dad. “Keep it up next time, OK?”
“I think I can,” said Jack. “It’s hard, but Yia Yia helped. Maybe I can stand with her again, like she said.”
After lunch, Jack showed Yia Yia his favorite dinosaur moves on the playground.
Soon, his father was calling for him to go home. Yia Yia hugged him and Jack was surprised at how strong she seemed.
“Bye,” said Jack.
“Until next time,” said Yia Yia.
