"Our Terrific Responsibility"

Today we celebrate our children. A number of people have commiserated with me since September 11th how unfortunate it is that our children will have to grow up facing the problems that are now developing and which look like they will never go completely away. The world is a bit of a mess right now, and so the question is obvious, "What can we do for our children at a time like this?"

I spent a couple of days this week reading a fascinating book called A Child's Book: World War II Through The Eyes of Children. One hundred people recount what it was like to experience WWII as a young child. The author, Kati David, interviewed daughters and sons of Nazis and Jews, Englishmen and Czechs about their experience of WWII. The book tells something of what it was like to live in an atmosphere of constant danger, and in which parents could not fill their traditional roles as protectors and in which providers and other adults must be regarded with constant suspicion. Some of these conditions, unhappily, are beginning to exist today, at least for the time being.

The book revealed to me that children live life close at hand, in the small, immediate activities, and also, very much in their imaginations. Most of these adult children of war testify that war simply forced them to deepen their understanding of humanity at an early age. It is good to remember that a child's perspective is different from ours. The author remembers experiencing bombed out houses, not as proof of human hatred, but as enchanted castles full of hidden treasures. A crystal vase found intact in the ruins was seen as precious personal proof that miracles do happen. The book testifies to humanity's inhumanity. Many children did report witnessing unspeakable acts of cruelty. And yet, only a few - only three of the hundred, held a lasting bitterness against the enemy into adulthood.

Another of these survivors now admits feeling nostalgia for the war, especially the winter of the great starvation. What he remembers warmly is the praise he would receive for bringing home a rotten apple or potato from out of the ruins where he played. From his child's perspective, it was a wonderful time. Another remembers the bombings as delicious moments of enhanced affection from her mother who always held her tight.

These adult children of WWII suffered hunger, loss and physical deprivation. But those memories were not necessarily the ones that made the greatest childhood impression. Most seemed indifferent to physical deprivation. Most admitted to being fascinated by the bombings, and not particularly afraid - unless their parents were afraid. Their main fear across the boards was being separated from their parents. Those who were separated from their parents though, also managed to cope surprisingly well, as long as there was something to fight for and to hope for.

One story from the author herself was particularly poignant. Her father had been taken by the Nazi's and was feared lost, and young Kati was particularly dependent upon her mother. One day, her mother was rounded up by the Nazi's along with several other women and taken away with orders that to clean a nearby barracks. When the women hadn't come back by late evening, she feared her mother, like her father, was lost forever. But very late in the night she was awakened by roars of laughter, and snuck out to overhear her mother proudly telling how she pretended she didn't know how to beat the dust out of rugs, and how she hen made faces behind the officer's back when he took the carpet beater to demonstrate for her. Young Kati's relief at seeing her mother was overcome, by fury. She couldn't believe that her mother , who had two little children to take care of, would take such a foolish risk! Kati, herself, felt wiser than that, and would never have done such a thing.

Let me switch gears to another time. The Evangelist known as Mark recounts that when Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem - Jesus and his disciples knew that all hell was about to break loose. They all had a lot on their minds. As they made their way toward Jerusalem, people were bringing little children to Jesus, because he was a star to his followers, someone great - they wanted him to bless them. The disciples undoubtedly understood this, but protective of Jesus, they spoke sternly, wanting to shoo them away, to give Jesus some space. They felt that had to prioritize for him. Jesus needed to be able to talk to his disciples, but also to pull back, center and rest. They wanted to protect him from the noise and confusion of the children. But when Jesus saw this he became upset, and said, "Let the children come to me, don't hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And they gathered to him.

Jesus knew something about the children. He knew that the larger, impersonal world forces did not affect their interior being in the same way as the small, personal interactions of daily life. The forces that shape and nurture their inner gifts come from their immediate environment. It is the same lesson we learn from the children of war 2000 years later. Whether bad things or good things happen in their larger world, what was most important to them were experiences, in the moment that let them know they were loved, noticed, considered and valued. Thus, he let the children come to him.

It is a miracle that the tiniest child, who has experienced love, will be able to find beauty in shrapnel, if it has to. The Psalms say, "Royal dignity was yours from the day you were born." It is our job to nurture that dignity: the joy and talents, their strength, their love, their reverence, imagination, courage, compassion and their faith that comprises it. Our children are a terrific responsibility.

Though today in this country our children don't experience the same kind of shrapnel, they have their own hardships. The children in our lives and in this church are precious. Notice them, be kind, take an interest. Support their events and service projects. Consider becoming a mentor to a Junior Youth as part of their Coming of Age later this year. Today's newspaper reports that donations for human services are down sharply as our national focus has been diverted to the war effort. As you know we have a group in the church that will prepare petitions for us whose focus is specifically to safeguard the well-being of children. They will educate us from time to time about how we can support children's need through the legislative process. I'd like to thank Erin Spaulding and Kerri Dowdall for coming here today. There may be someone here who will become a lifeline for a child through their program. I'd like to close this morning with these words from Kenneth Patton:

"Nothing is strange to the child for whom everything is new.

Where all things are new nothing is novel. The child does not yet know what belongs and what does not; therefore for him all things belong. The ear of the child is open to all music. [Her] eyes are open to all arts. His mind open to all tongues. [Her] being is open to all manners. In the child's country there are no foreigners."