Weekly Reflection: A Time to Remember All the Children

Dec 7, 2023

At this time of year, our thoughts turn to the Christmas season as experienced by children. Many of us have our own cherished childhood memories of decorations, Christmas trees, lights, and special times with family and friends in anticipation of the wonder of Christmas Day. For Christians there is the celebration of a new born child in a humble manger who was declared by angels to be the Prince of Peace. Churches throughout our nation will put on Christmas pageants in which children act out the story of the birth of Jesus. Faith based and other community organizations will raise millions of dollars to help low income and struggling families to enjoy the traditions of this Christmas season in efforts to include all the children.

Yet there is another side to the Christmas season summarized in the following words from a sermon by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. given on Christmas Eve 1967, words that ring true today especially in light of the ongoing Israel Hamas war:

This Christmas season finds us a rather bewildered human race. We have neither peace within nor peace without. Everywhere paralyzing fears harrow people by day and haunt them by night. Our world is sick with war; everywhere we turn we see its ominous possibilities.

Even during this season of celebration, we dare not look away from the reality of the misery and destruction suffered by children impacted by war. Some Israeli children were among those killed and taken hostage during the October 7th terrorist attacks by Hamas. Others lost parents and relatives. The military retaliation by Israel has resulted in destruction on a massive scale including the deaths of thousands of children in Gaza along with the displacement of the majority of families. At this point, the death and destruction in Gaza continues with no end in sight. The pictures posted above symbolize the stunning contrast of the realities experienced by children during this Christmas season. Take a few minutes to reflect on these pictures in light of another quote from Dr. King’s sermon:

It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. We are all made to live together because of the interrelated structure of reality…We aren’t going to have peace on earth until we recognize this basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality.

While Dr. King’s words are not an outline for specific policies, they do call us to develop policies that minimize violence and honor our common humanity as children of God. In the current situation, this means refusing to turn away from the suffering in Israel and Gaza and adding whatever we can to promote peace there and around the world. The video posted below highlights the devastating impact of the Israel Hamas war on children. It is not easy or enjoyable to take in the sights and sounds of suffering. Yet this is meant to help us remember all the children, because all the children are made in the image of God.