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Sometimes children perceive things far more readily than adults. Reading the stories of Jesus’ life and ministry in the gospels I can imagine that this was very true of the children who were so drawn to him. They “got” something that was so often missed by the adults around them, adults who often just thought the children were being a bother and should be shooed away. I have experienced this. The young people I got to work amongst when I was responsible for youth ministry taught me this lesson over and over again.

I remember one little girl, not yet a youth, just six or seven years old at the time. She had been part of a summer camp we hosted. At the end of our week together she took her grandmother to show her our sanctuary. As they admired the stained glass windows, the peace and beauty of the sanctuary this little girl pointed to the cross and asked her grandmother if she knew what it was. Grandma replied, “It’s the cross sweetheart.” “Yes,” said the little girl, “but do you know what it is.” The grandmother was confused but wisely waited to hear what her granddaughter was trying to get to. The little girl looked up at her grandmother and said, “That is what shows us how much God loves us.” Yes, sometimes children perceive things more readily than adults!

This memory came to mind as I was reading some of Malcolm Guite’s poetry. In one of his sonnets, “XI Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross” there is a line that stops me in my tracks.

“We see what love can bear and be and do.”

What love can bear … and be … and do. That little girl understood this as she looked at the cross. Maybe God whispered it to her. Today I invite you to join me in meditating on the cross of Christ. And as you do, you might want to listen for God’s gentle whisper to you.

If you would like to be guided in this meditation here is a link containing some of the sonnets of Malcolm Guite, written specifically to guide us as we do contemplate the cross and all that it means in our lives. Scroll down the page to the entry for September 14th, 2020 to find them.

https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/category/poems/

May God’s blessing be upon you today.

Dianne