Today is a very significant day in which we recognize and celebrate the nurturing, sustaining and unselfish love of Mothers. There is an old Jewish proverb that says "God couldn’t be everywhere so he made Mothers". There are probably a few mothers who consider this a great honour, however, they probably wish He had given a few lessons first.
I know that a great deal could be said this morning about the virtues of Motherhood, however, I think I will leave any expression of gratitude to all of us who are sons and daughters and trust that we will all take the opportunity to share our gratefulness personally, if we are able.
For those of us of this congregation and for our visitors, today is also significant in that we will share in a very special service of the blessing of children. For this reason I want to focus my remarks around the significance of this sacrament and what it means to raise our children
in an environment where God is revered and Christ is at the centre of all we do and say.
The blessing of children is one of the most beautiful sacraments of the Community of Christ. This practice is not something that has no basis but in fact comes from a very distinct historical and scriptural background.
The first account mentioned in the scriptures is that of Jacob being blessed by his father Isaac. Through deception Jacob acquired the blessing which belonged by birthright to his older brother Esau. But the blessing was believed to possess so much power and truth that once given , even to the wrong person, it could not be taken away or changed.
In the New Testament we find a very moving story concerning the relationship of Jesus to the children of his time.
Mark describes that Christ had left Capernaum and went southward to the Judean border. And as always there were crowds milling about him and as always Jesus took the time to talk with them and teach them.
“And the mothers brought their little children to Him , that he should touch them and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. but when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God . Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them." Mark 10:13-16
Thus through the simple act of laying his hands upon their head and offering words of blessing we see the intervention of the divine through the loving caring nature of God in Jesus Christ. We can only speculate as to the blessing received by these children, nevertheless, we are assured that God is concerned for them far more than you or and I as parents can ever be.
The blessing of children is not only a very beautiful event but also very meaningful. In the process of blessing a child everyone involved is also blessed.
The child is blessed by the commitment of all to be responsible for this life.
The parents are blessed by the promise of others to provide them with help and guidance in the coming years.
The congregation is blessed by the revitalization which occurs when a young child representing new creation and growth is brought into its midst.
God is also blessed in this service as each person praises and gives thanks for this gift of new life which renews and strengthens us to make this a better world
When parents bring their child before God and the church they are extending their commitment that they made at the wedding alter. They are expressing their faith in God and the church that he will continue to bless their family and strengthen them for the responsibilities that lay ahead.
To (child’s parents), I would counsel you to nurture your children in the ways of God. Teach them at an early age to conduct themselves properly. It is said that children today are taught everything from computer programming to ballet. But they are not taught values. It is also said that we work on building bodies and minds but we do not build character in our children .
It is important to regard your children as a precious gift from God. Too often today children take second or even third place to mother and Dad’s various personal pursuits. The result is unhappiness and despair, drug abuse and teen suicide, family violence and juvenile delinquency.
As parents we need to take back responsibility for our children. It will take sacrifice of personal time, but what better use of time could there be. The childlike qualities Jesus talked about won’t be in our children unless we exemplify them ourselves and spend the time necessary to pass our values on to our children.
A circuit judge in the US , Rachel Lampone says that " as a substitute for the structure, control and education the family once provided, people now turn to government. Ancient values of self reliance and responsibility for and to family are seemingly dying." The remarks were quoted from her resignation letter. After seeing young people in trouble pass through her courtroom for 14 years she decided she was going to stay home with her three children. Judge lampone also wrote " I leave with the warning that we as a culture must end the cycle of procreation without committing to parenting, dysfunctional households units and abdication to government of the family’s role in teaching moral, spiritual and social values.”
We can’t all quit our jobs and be stay at home parents, but we can share her alarm at the state of the family and examine our own personal priorities. we can take back the responsibility of teaching moral values to our children. we can keep our children off the endangered list.
A report released by the Josephson Institute for Ethics reported that a large number of American youths steal, lie and cheat at work, school and home. It showed that 1/3 of the youths readily admitted that they would lie to get a job. the majority said they cheat on exams and that they borrow money with no intentions of paying it back. 1/3 admitted to stealing from their parents or relatives at least once. And according to Michael Josephson , founder of the institute, he says " we are setting up a kind of backward society where cheaters do prosper and honesty is not always the best policy".
I remember reading about a young boy in Toronto who found a wallet with $25,000 in it. His response was to turn the money into the police where it was claimed by the rightful owner. The sad thing was that the boy received nothing in terms of a reward and also had to face the scorn of his peers for not keeping it. I have to believe that kid feels in his heart that he did the right thing in spite of the ungratefulness of the owner and the insensitivity of his so called friends.
When we leave the moral formation of our children’s character to the government, to the schools and even the church, the result is a generation that admits that they aren’t totally truthful when they fill out surveys. The stats on lying, stealing and cheating could be much worse than the surveys reveal.
As parents and peers we could turn those statistics around. The Josephson study also revealed that 80 percent of all youth listed not rock stars, or movie stars or astronauts or national leaders ...but their parents as their biggest moral influences. Josephson says that " If parents will truly exercise their power as role models they can change their children’s behaviour."
But we all know that the opposite is also true. The old saying goes that children are what they learn at home. Children who are abused or witness abuse at home tend to be abusers themselves.. Children of alcoholics and drug users becomes addicts themselves...children of welfare recipients continue the cycle and become welfare cases themselves. Probably one of the most alarming concern of society today is the return to racial indifference. We see where instances in the news of racial bigotry, hatred and violence in the schools. These kids didn’t learn this on their own. They leaned this from their parents. And don’t kid ourselves folks racial bigotry is alive and well in our community, in our homes and even our churches.
It is said that:
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn
If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight
If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy
If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty
If a child lives tolerance, he learns to be patient
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.
So parents and friends of our children, we have tremendous responsibility to take on the selfless attitude of Jesus and show it towards our children. We begin by having a firm conviction ourselves about what is right and wrong. And we need to set aside occasions for evaluation and regrouping. Even the sports world has its time out and seventh inning stretches so why shouldn’t we. We need to force ourselves to pull off the road and put our lives in neutral and ask ourselves some hard questions. Some of them might go like this.
1. Am I genuinely happy, challenged and fulfilled in life?
2. Am I making a consistent and valuable contribution for God and his kingdom
3. Is the direction my life is now taking leading me toward a satisfying and meaningful future?
4. Can I honestly say that I am in the nucleus of God’s will for me?
and for our children:
1. Am I spending sufficient time with the children so that they know that I love and accept them and care very much about their future.
2. Am I communicating life’s goals, a proper value system, a standard of morals, a drive for excellence and commitment to loyalty, integrity, generosity and honesty to my children and other children. Do they really know how I feel about these things.
3. Are they aware that they are worthwhile and valuable. Are they growing up to be positive, confident, secure, highly esteemed young men and women.
4. And when they leave home will they be able to make it on their own.
And finally I would say to (child’s parents) that in spite of all your good intentions there will be times when your children will let you down and you will be discouraged. It is most important to know that you can not always do it alone. You need to learn to rely on your heavenly FAther for the guidance and direction help in these times. Be assured that he is always there, feeling your pain in the tough times as well as sharing your joy in the good
He is there to strengthen your family.
There will even be times when you will say to yourself "Someday when the kids are grown things are going to be different.” (By Chuck Swindoll)
“The garage won’t be full of bikes, sawhorses, unfinished projects, two by fours, rabbit cages and skateboards. In fact you might even be able to get the car parked inside.
Someday when the kids are grown , Mom will have time to get dressed leisurely. She will even have time to do her nails
(even her toenails if she pleases) without answering a dozen questions and reviewing spelling words. She will even have time to get her hair done without having to squeeze it in between racing a sick cat to the vets and a trip to the orthodontist.
Someday when the kids are grown that thing called a telephone will actually be available for use. It won’t look like its growing from a teenager’s ear. It will simply hang there.... amazingly available, free of lipstick, saliva, mayonnaise, and chocolate chip cookie crumbs.
Yes, Someday when the kids are grown we won’t run out of toilet paper, or have to answer "Daddy is it a sin that you’re driving 65 km in 50 km zone, or wait up for ever until they get home from dates, or have to take a number to get a word in at the supper table.
Yes someday it’s going to be a lot different, when the kid’s are grown the house will begin to resemble order and even have a touch of elegance. The echo of the fireplace will crackle through the hallway . The phone will be strangely silent. The house will be quiet....and calm....and always clean....and empty....and filled with memories....and lonely...and we won’t like that at all. And we will spend our time not looking forward to Someday but looking back to Yesterday. And thinking wouldn’t it be wonderful to have kids back in the home again and get some life into this place for a change.”
Seriously, we only have few short years that God has given to us to care for our children until they mature. We have a tremendous responsibility as parents, as friends, as relatives... as the church to nurture these precious little ones so that they know love, grow in love and will be loving persons themselves. With our faith and trust in God we are assured that he will strengthen our families and our relationships together.
In a few moments these children will be brought forward to the Elders. And these men, who have been called by God and ordained as His servants, will invoke God’s blessing upon these little ones.
As this is happening we all need to be asking ourselves the question "How can I help these children to live a full and happy Life?" We all should be offering a prayer on behalf of the welfare of these children and in support of their parents. We all need to be making a covenant with our heavenly father to be the best examples we can be as they look to us as role models for their own development.
And as we consider the words that are spoken may we remember the responsibilities we have in our own families and that God is ever present to guide us , counsel us, and strengthen us as we seek to establish his kingdom by building strong and healthy family relationships.
General Douglas Macarthur wrote a prayer for his newborn son that sums up what I feel should be the prayer of all parents for their children. In closing, I want to share it with you on this day in which we celebrate God’s gift of children.
“Build me a son O Lord who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clean, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master others; one who will learn to laugh yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future and yet never forget the past.
And After all these things are his, add, I pray. enough of a sense of humour, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he always remember the simplicity of greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I his father, will dare to whisper, I have not lived in vain.”
SAMPLE PRAYER OF BLESSING
Oh God, our heavenly Father, on behalf of (parents), we approach your throne of grace to present their new born child , (name of child) for a blessing.
We thank you for opportunities such as this that allow us to seek you out for a particular blessing. We know that the blessing of children is important for their development in righteous living. This was demonstrated so very clearly as your Son took the children into his arms and placed his hands upon them and blessed them.
We are also very thankful for the life of this child, (name of child). He is culmination of the love between his parents and as co-creators with you they proudly present him this day for your blessing.
As we consider this child’s future we realize that there remains so much that is so uncertain. We know that there will be many trials and tribulations , but we also know that if he follows a path of righteousness and if he receives proper training and instruction, he will grow into a mature, loving, caring and responsible person.
We pray Father, that he may develop a respect for his parents and others. May he always bring joy and happiness into others lives. May he learn to depend on you in times of despair and sadness. But also may he acknowledge you during the happy and joyous times in his life.
And so father we ask you to bless (name of child) with those gifts that will enable him to meet the challenges of life. May he always know that you love him and care for him as you do for all people.
May you bless (parents). Grant them the wisdom and courage to always seek what is best for (name of child). May they also know that you are always there to support them, love them and help them in their efforts to be kind loving parents.
And lastly may we, as his peers and elders, always be responsible in our associations with (name of child) May we always set a good example for him. May we be there to support and love him.
Father, we praise you for all things in life that are good. We praise you today for this child. May your blessing always be upon him.
In Jesus name we pray..Amen
