We are All Responsible for All Our Children

During the Bosnian War the city of Sarajevo was held under siege for four years. It was the longest siege of a capital city in modern warfare.

During those four years nearly 1,500 children were killed and another 15,000 were wounded in the siege alone.

A reporter covering the violence in the middle of the city saw a little girl who had been shot by a sniper. Putting down his pad and pen he rushed to her aid only to find that another man, seeing what happened had already picked up the little girl. The reporter helped them both into his car and they rushed her to the hospital.

As they were en route the man holding the little girl in the backseat says “Hurry my friend! My little girl is still alive.” A moment or two later the man said, “Hurry my friend, my child is still breathing.” A little later he heard, “Hurry my friend, my child is still warm.”

They arrived at the hospital only to find that the little girl had passed. “This is a terrible task for me.” the man said, holding the girl. “I must go and tell her father that his child is dead. He will be heartbroken.”

The reporter was amazed. He looked at the grieving man and said, “I thought she was your child?”

The man replied, “No. But aren’t they all our children?”

In Mark’s gospel (Mk 9:30-37) we read of Jesus taking a child and placing it in the midst of the disciples saying “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me”

What does it mean to receive a child?

For many it happens through their openness to life expressed through childbirth and/or adoption. Others receive kids in their teaching and ministry, both in and out of the classroom, by being an informative, encouraging and challenging presence. And still many others receive children by defending the dignity of those who’s lives are threatened even before they are born.

All of our children are the responsibility of all of Christ’s disciples.

How we receive children will differ.

That we receive them is essential.