My kids and I are creatures of habit. Every Sunday we sit in the same spot for Mass (I know we are not the only people who do this). But a few weeks ago, thanks to a combination of things, we wound up on a completely different side of the church.

It should have been no big deal, but I have to admit my world was a little rocked. I had a very different view of the altar; the sound system registered differently on that side; and the parishioners around us were completely new to me. All of this added up to a very different, but great experience of the Eucharist for my daughter and me, and it made for an interesting discussion on the ride home.

“Mom, maybe we should sit over there every week,” my daughter proposed.

I just grinned to myself and said, “No, maybe we should choose a different place to sit every week.”

Whether it was the Holy Spirit who led us to that side of church or a series of uncontrollable events or a combination thereof, we both had our eyes, ears and hearts re-opened that evening to the beauty of the Body of Christ. Some habits are worth breaking every now and then, so that we can get a different perspective!