When my son was about that age, I was running the office in my husband’s and his brother’s business. We had a room for him, with a tv, videos, toys... so he would let me work. One day he kept on interrupting me, and I kept sending him back to his “office”. He got my attention when he came in and said he had been talking to Jesus. Really? And how did you know it was Him? My son answered that he knew it was Jesus because “he needed a haircut”. Ok, cute! And, what did He say? The answer stunned me: “He said to tell you that I am a gift from Him to you, a reward to you”. Of course he was too young to know Psalm 127. In fact, he wasn’t even attending Sunday school back then!
I tell you, FF, kids see the strangest things. First off, I should tell you that I am a Catholic, and my children have been raised in the faith as well.
My youngest was born with a heart defect, had a stroke, and came extremely close to death at 9 days old. He did suffer a brain injury as a result of the stroke, and has learning deficiencies because of it.
Anyway, one day about 6 years ago, I kept having to call him down to eat breakfast. I finally went to the foot of the stairs, and there he was, at the top, not moving. “Come down, Johnny. It’s time for breakfast,” I said. He shook his head, “No.” I asked him why not, and he said, “The Devil is blocking my way.” Uh-huh..yeah, and I’m Santa Claus, I thought.
I went upstairs, took him by the hand, and started to lead him down. Halfway there he stopped and sat on the stairs. “I’m afraid of him,” he said. “He’s talking to me.” I said, “Oh, Johnny, there’s nothing here! Look! What does this devil look like, anyway?”
Now...you would think that a seven year old would say it was red, with a pitchfork and a tail, etc. You know, standard cartoon devil stuff. But Johnny said, “He’s green and has black wings like Batman (I think he meant ‘like a bat.’) And he’s sitting next to me.”
FF, I can guarantee you that my son had not read Dante at seven years old, nor do we have any depictions like that in the house. But his description scared the heck out of me. We invoked the Lord, and His Archangel Michael, and St. Joseph (scourge of the devil). Finally, Johnny got up, said, “He’s gone,” and went downstairs for some Frosted Flakes just like nothing happened.
I’ve never been so creeped out in all my life.
Regards,
PS: Johnny also claims to have spoken to Mary — and he was even younger than seven when he said THAT. I don’t know if any of it is real or not...but when a child says these things, with no agenda...it’s hard not to take it seriously.
PPS: There have been no more sightings of either the Blessed Mother or the Devil since then.