"Let the children come to me”
(Matt 19:14)
(Matt 19:14)
Since the Birthday Blessing post in May 2011, Birthday Blessing has expanded their ministry of holding birthday parties for deserving children in need to the South Dallas area!!! It was a beautiful experience to photograph the first of their South Dallas parties which allowed me to once again witness the humbling resiliency of a child’s heart.
Unexpectedly, it reminded me of working to open the first medical child abuse center in San Antonio. It had been so long since I took the time to reflect on those memories and to do so was a great gift for me. The center I worked for was called the Center for Miracles .In addition to providing medical attention to children who had been victims of abuse, the Center for Miracles has a mission of allowing patients to begin a healing process structured on an experience of love with others. In the earliest stage of designing the center we presented the very simple question of: “What does this center need to carry out this mission?” It was very humbling to find that the answer came from the children themselves.
Unexpectedly, it reminded me of working to open the first medical child abuse center in San Antonio. It had been so long since I took the time to reflect on those memories and to do so was a great gift for me. The center I worked for was called the Center for Miracles .In addition to providing medical attention to children who had been victims of abuse, the Center for Miracles has a mission of allowing patients to begin a healing process structured on an experience of love with others. In the earliest stage of designing the center we presented the very simple question of: “What does this center need to carry out this mission?” It was very humbling to find that the answer came from the children themselves.
I remember working with one of our first patients who was initially very closed off from everyone. Little-by-little however, she began to make eye-contact, provide soft responses, and finally to put her small trusting hand in mine. My time with her convicted me of the belief that we need to strive to become more like children. Christ told us that "unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3-4). Placing children at the heart of the Kingdom of God, Christ’s words I believe reveal that children need to be models for adults (an idea which is often looked down upon in a society which values power). The fullness of this is that we must model our hearts after the simplicity of children,their innocence and joy, and above all their ability to in their weakness reach out and trust with a loving faith.
This scripture verse when paired with "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14) allows us to also see our perpetual responsibility to children. It is impossible to comprehend the future of a culture or political body outside of the image of its new generations: its children. It is to children that we pass down the image of the family which encompasses a manifold heritage of values, duties, and aspirations. Moreover, it is this inheritance that allows us to see what our world is becoming.
While there is real evil which continues to permeate a negative image of the family, I wholeheartedly believe that there is an even stronger image of the family which can bring light to even the darkest corners of our world. People who have given their lives to the service of children show us that love, genuine acceptance, material goods, education, and spiritual concern constitute the distinctive and essential characteristic of the image of the family which moves mountains in the human heart.
This scripture verse when paired with "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matt 19:14) allows us to also see our perpetual responsibility to children. It is impossible to comprehend the future of a culture or political body outside of the image of its new generations: its children. It is to children that we pass down the image of the family which encompasses a manifold heritage of values, duties, and aspirations. Moreover, it is this inheritance that allows us to see what our world is becoming.
While there is real evil which continues to permeate a negative image of the family, I wholeheartedly believe that there is an even stronger image of the family which can bring light to even the darkest corners of our world. People who have given their lives to the service of children show us that love, genuine acceptance, material goods, education, and spiritual concern constitute the distinctive and essential characteristic of the image of the family which moves mountains in the human heart.
The trusting hand of every child that comes into this world is an image which should scare us in the sense that it moves us into action. It reveals the complete self-sacrifice that we need to make to the most vulnerable of our society. In the heart of this we find great courage because of the reality that God has already made us capable of loving and will continue to make us worthy of encountering this personal relationship with His most beloved children.
For two years at the Center for Miracles, and again at the Birthday Blessing party this past weekend, I witnessed a triumphant image of the human person. Through love, heaviness was lifted from their hearts and one would see the experience of healing in their smile. This might be why I am so in love with the smile!! It points us to an intimate union of the face and the heart. The smile is perhaps one of the greatest gifts which we can pass to generations. It takes a celebration of love to bring a sincere healing and smile to the face of children.
For two years at the Center for Miracles, and again at the Birthday Blessing party this past weekend, I witnessed a triumphant image of the human person. Through love, heaviness was lifted from their hearts and one would see the experience of healing in their smile. This might be why I am so in love with the smile!! It points us to an intimate union of the face and the heart. The smile is perhaps one of the greatest gifts which we can pass to generations. It takes a celebration of love to bring a sincere healing and smile to the face of children.
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