They met in college, he an athletic playboy and she, a studious goody two shoes. It was an unlikely match from the start, a fact that her friends continually pointed out. His first move was to invite her to the local bar; she declined because she was leading a campus Bible study that evening. He'd heard plenty of rejection lines but that one was new. Their first date was a week later and the hours brimmed with laughter. When she finally looked at her watch, it was 2 a.m. “I have to go!” she exclaimed like Cinderella at the ball. [...]

By the time I hung up the phone, I already regretted my decision. Who in her right mind agrees to substitute teach a large 6th grade CCD class? But my friend couldn't find anyone in her own parish to fill in, and she was desperate. Fine, I said. I'll do it. Besides, I like 6th graders. I just don't like them in packs. The assigned topic was God the Father. I began my preparation with prayer. Never go in front of middle schoolers without first praying. Never do anything without praying, but that's another topic. I sought ideas from teachers, [...]