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From the Pastor&
I believe that our children or teenagers are not the church of the future they are the church of now. If we are not attentive to our young ones when they are young, we can be sure they will not be back later. If we do not give them a good experience with a healthy foundation now, why would they ever think of coming back? If we treat children with respect, accepting their questions in a non-judgmental way, they discover that they can ask anything and it's okay.
Young people who feel accepted will remember the church as a safe place where they are treated like persons. When children feel accepted and loved, they return with their questions, fears and problems when they are adults.
The Christian community has a responsibility to every human being in the world. We are called to serve the outcast, the forgotten, those seen as the least. In our parish, and in every parish, we are to be a vital part of the lives of the poor, the disenfranchised, the weak, the voiceless, those with terminal illnesses, the old, the young, and all in between. We have a responsibility to our young right now, not when they age or are in sacramental programs. We can be signs of love and acceptance for them. We need to deal with their questions, their frustrations, and their need to tell us what we would rather not hear.
The children who come to our church are our own. These youngsters are our responsibility now, not when they come to get confirmed, or married, or have a child baptized, or when they come to begin a spiritual quest. They will not come back in the future if they are not welcomed and accepted every Sunday. They come to Mass on the weekend with their thoughts and their feelings. It is our responsibility to welcome and respect them.
Believe it or not, God
is offering the gift of himself at every Mass for the
salvation of the world. Even children are drawn into the
mystery of God at Mass. It is my responsibility to keep
inviting children into the mystery of God, and it is yours,
too. Are you aware of our responsibility at Mass to show our children that Mass is something very special, so we are reverent, we sing, we pay attention, we rejoice in the presence of God -- who speaks to us in the Scriptures and nourishes us with the Eucharist.
We baptize newborn infants into the Christian community. They are invited to journey with us into the Kingdom of God. Some of them will get there before many of us. They are the church because they are baptized. They belong to us. Welcome them, smile and speak to the little ones. This is the one place where we are all equal. Children know a lot. We can learn from them:
* It's more fun to color outside the lines.
* If you're going to draw on the wall, do it behind the couch.
* Ask why until you understand.
* Save a place in line for your friends.
* If you want a kitten, start by asking for a horse.
* Making your bed is a waste of time.
* If your dog doesn't like someone, you probably shouldn't either.
* Toads aren't ugly. They're just toads.
* Just keep banging until someone opens the door.
* Don't pop someone else's bubble.
* You shouldn't ask to start over just because you're losing the game.
* Chasing the cat is more fun than catching it.
Peace! -- Fr. Bill
Murtaugh
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