A Lesson in Grace

By Jenny Dendinger

Since we started attending Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) in December, I decided to add on a Latin class to our homeschooling adventures. We already had the books waiting for us on the shelf, but I’d been avoiding them out of fear. I had never taken Latin before, so we would be learning the new language together. 

I’ve been homeschooling for over 10 years, and I’ve loved watching my kids learn and grow. Their young brains are so eager to soak up knowledge! 

Even though I have a college degree, the truth is, my mama brain sometimes struggles to keep up with our workload. Learning our prayers in Latin has been one of those times. 

While we have all mastered the Ave Maria (Hail Mary) and Gloria Patri (Glory Be), the Pater Noster (Our Father) has been a hurdle for me.  When I practice, I still need to read each line and pray it slowly. 

Almost everyone at TLM knows these prayers by heart, so the words easily roll off of their tongues during the rosary before Mass. I can keep up with the Ave Maria and Gloria Patri, but the Pater Noster turns me into a wobbly baby trying to learn how to stand. 

With that being said, when the kids and I started to pray the Our Father on our walk the other day, I automatically assumed we’d pray it in English. But before we could begin, my boys interrupted with a request. They wanted to pray it in Latin. 

As soon as they noticed my hesitation, they did something amazing. Instead of teasing their teacher for struggling, they offered to help. 

They prayed the entire prayer line by line allowing time for me to repeat after them. What a beautiful, grace-filled moment! 

They seriously humbled me, y’all, but they also made me really proud.