God's Baby 12 March 2008

Mark 10:1-16
Wednesday, 12 March 2008

If you know me well, then you know that I relish being the baby in my family. In fact, I have been known to announce that I am The Baby (period). One of the hardest things about the loss of my mother was figuring out whose baby I would be once she was no longer among us.

The scene in the gospel is a familiar one. Once again the crowds have gathered; Jesus is teaching them. As usual, the religious leaders of the community are
creating doctrinal disputations trying to trap Jesus and discredit him. Yet again his disciples act rashly and wrongly, as they speak sternly to parents who are bringing their children for Jesus' touch. But Jesus does not just touch the children in passing. He takes them into his arms. Imagine that. The children are held; they are babied in Jesus' arms. The kingdom belongs to the children. And whoever receives the kingdom must receive it as a little child.

Beloved, today we are not hard at work. We are not troubled by a world around us gone mad. We are not even dwelling on our own frailties and faults. We are enfolded in the love of Christ. The Lord's hand is upon us. And we are blessed. Today it is enough for us simply to be God's baby.

Sing, "Safe in the Arms of Jesus" or "He Hideth My Soul"

Let us pray:
For the grace of being held and for the knowledge that we are loved, we thank you, Lord. All that is around us remains the same, but our vantage point is different when we remember that we are safe in your arms. Even as we thank you, we pray for the children of the world, many of whom are forced to grow up too quickly. Teach us by your own love to love all of God's babies. Amen.