This weekend moves us closer to celebrating a day for children: Hallowe'en. In reflecting on this celebration, I have begun to see that it is a movement almost away from children and now it would seem more and more adults celebrate Hallowe'en. In my opinion it should be more a feast for our children in their innocence. Regardless of your point of view, the following prayerful reflection from Sister Joyce Rupp, a noted spiritual writer for our time is a worthwhile reminder for children everywhere.
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I remember the children of the world. As Jesus called to the children to come to him, so I gather in prayer the children of my world who are hurting. I embrace them with loving kindness and with a desire to mend the systems that bring such pain to their young lives. I remember the children:
... who will go hungry today,
... whose parents are on drugs,
... who have no one to teach them to read,
... who are handicapped and unattended,
... who do not know love,
... who live in filth and degradation,
... who have no friends,
... who are not listened to,
... who have never been sung to or read to or taken by the hand or experienced earth’s mystery and beauty,
... who do not have anyone to tuck them into bed at night,
... who are shunned or mistreated because of their color, their religion, or the place where they live,
... who have no awareness of their inner goodness,
... who have stopped believing in love,
... who are filled with anger and hate,
... who are receiving a poor education,
... who are ill or in pain,
... who are grieving the death of a loved one,
... who are suffering from AIDS or drug-related diseases,
... who feel lonely, desolate, and unloved,
... who are filled with fear for their lives,
... who hear only harsh words and hostile language,
... who have been bruised, beaten, and mutilated,
... who are victims of incest, rape, and pornography,
... who hide in fear from the sounds of war,
... who are ill and have no medical attention.
... whose parents are on drugs,
... who have no one to teach them to read,
... who are handicapped and unattended,
... who do not know love,
... who live in filth and degradation,
... who have no friends,
... who are not listened to,
... who have never been sung to or read to or taken by the hand or experienced earth’s mystery and beauty,
... who do not have anyone to tuck them into bed at night,
... who are shunned or mistreated because of their color, their religion, or the place where they live,
... who have no awareness of their inner goodness,
... who have stopped believing in love,
... who are filled with anger and hate,
... who are receiving a poor education,
... who are ill or in pain,
... who are grieving the death of a loved one,
... who are suffering from AIDS or drug-related diseases,
... who feel lonely, desolate, and unloved,
... who are filled with fear for their lives,
... who hear only harsh words and hostile language,
... who have been bruised, beaten, and mutilated,
... who are victims of incest, rape, and pornography,
... who hide in fear from the sounds of war,
... who are ill and have no medical attention.
Yes, I pray for the children of my world today and I pray for each man and woman of this world, including myself, that we will do our part to create better living conditions for these children. Show us the way and prod us into action, God of justice and compassion!
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