Imperfect ways of communicating with God, but communicating none the less…

… When I was a little girl my Abuela had a statue of the Divino Niño in her bedroom. She hand-made all His clothes, little gowns and velvet capes with cold fringe. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with cage styled statues. They were basically just a doll head or torso set on a frame and essentially “naked”. You dressed them yourself. It was a big deal to get them all gussied up in their finest robes and cloaks on feast days.

I had forgotten all about that strange little statue my grandmother had until I came across Terry’s post featuring a site that sells the caged statues, called bultos.

I was immediately reminded of a time I found Niño naked while visiting her. What happened to His clothes, I asked. Why was He naked? Apparently she was punishing Him for not answering a specific prayer by taking away all His pretty garments. Terry said this wasn’t uncommon. Old timers used to take away the bambino from St. Anthony statues when they felt their prayers neglected.

I know it sounds silly and juvenile. Like God or St. Anthony really cares one way or the other what you do with a statue. I suppose it probably sounds a bit more like pouting. I do that sometimes too… not say my evening prayers or a rosary because I’m in a foul mood at God for not addressing a need in a manner I think is timely enough.

Silly, maybe. But completely understandable if you have a fatherly relationship with God. He is God the Father and we are His children. And children pout and hold their breath and all sorts of things when they feel ignored or powerless to get what they want. If anything it at least acknowledges a level of two way communication between God and the Saints.

Also… if I knew how to sew I can see myself getting obsessive about making this a new hobby as well.