Welcome a Child

                

Jesus and his disciples passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching 

his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill

 him,  and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was

 saying  and were afraid to ask him.

Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing

 about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the

 greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of 

all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, 

he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever

 welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.” Mark 9:30-37

I am a mother of three, a grandmother of three, step grandmother of four and love children. They

delight my soul. And, my children could wear me out and bring me to tears almost instantly. They 

all the buttons to push, exacerbating me in already exhausted and stressed situations. They would

complain about not being pretty enough, smart enough, cool enough etc. We didn't have the money

to but them the latest trends. I could not convince them that they were incredibly beautiful, wondrous 

to behold and capable of real magic. They all have hearts full of love and serve up kindness and care

every day. Their sweet breath and wildness of childhood is moderated, yet, despite myself,

I miss their noise and mess. Welcoming children into one's life is hard, exhausting work.

Jesus knew his disciples didn't really understand what was before them, and did not know what to ask, 

let alone how to ask. His response to their argument was to tell them to welcome a child.  We don't

 know whose child it was, but we can surmise that the child was well known to Jesus. This child was

 a delight and a torment to his family, as all children are. The beloved child proffered to the disciples

was probably messy from a meal and play with those grubby fingers that leave marks everywhere. 

This is who Jesus invites us to welcome when we are worry about our future, or about our station or

place. We are invited to get down, listen to the shrieks, kneel in the mess, realizing again that is 

where we find God. Our Love Divine is not found in the thrones or the oval offices but in the 

kitchen and playrooms of our lives.

Today I ask God to help me welcome the child in myself and in everyone else. May we embrace the

mess of our lives, not trying to fix things, but instead focusing every moment on welcome and embrace.

The Collect

Grant us, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, 

while we are placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure;

 through  Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, 

for ever and ever. Amen.