Is Jesus scaring my toddler granddaughter?

[Rockie01]

My 2-year-old granddaughter is afraid being in her room. She’s been saying Jesus is in there. We don’t know who may have been talking to her about Jesus “being in her room.” She is literally afraid of going into her room. I have sat and prayed in her room and have called a priest to come bless my daughter’s home (my daughter can’t make calls from work and arrives home late). So far, none of my calls to two different churches have been returned. I talked to one of the priests this past Sunday after Mass, he acknowledged receiving the call and said he would make it out, but I haven’t heard from him again. Incidentally, this is a new home my daughter’s family just moved into.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Try to explain as best you can to your granddaughter that, whoever or whatever is in her room, it is not Jesus who is in there. Jesus loves children and, if it were truly him in the room, he would ease your granddaughter’s fears. (One of his signature lines was “Be not afraid.”) While waiting for the priest to come out to the home, you can get either holy water or blessed salt – or both – and bless your granddaughter’s room yourself. (I’m assuming your daughter has no objection to this.) If you can persuade your granddaughter to help, she can also sprinkle holy water and/or blessed salt. If not, at least ask her to “supervise” from the doorway so she can see what you are doing. The priest can bless the home, perhaps giving special attention to your granddaughter’s room (again, with her “supervision”), when he is able to do so. You may have to be persistent there though. Unfortunately, parishes can sometimes be slow in responding to and accommodating requests for house blessings. Unless you happen to personally know a priest who is willing to make your request his priority, these kind of requests can fall to the bottom of the To-Do list of a busy parish.