everydayinamerica

As a young Catholic girl, I was constantly being filled with religious literature cautioning me about my heart becoming “blackened” with sin…

I remember one picture in particular in my catechism book which depicted the progression of a heart eventually black with sin, by showing a child, whom behind stood their Guardian Angel.

The first illustration showed the Guardian Angel standing behind a beaming child with a beautiful, red heart.  The Guardian Angel’s hands rested on the shoulders of the good child, and the angel had a big smile on her face.

The second illustration showed the child had told a lie, and it reflected in the child’s heart as a little dark spot, and the Guardian Angel had lifted her hands up above the child’s shoulders, instead of them resting on the shoulders, and the big smile of the angel was now a slight smile…

The third and final illustration showed the child with a completely dark heart, and devilish smile, while the Guardian Angel had turned to the side, with her hands completely hiding her face in sorrow at the now “fallen” child.

Couldn’t this child be saved?