Welcome, loved & accepted
Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me…” Mk 9:36-37a Sunday’s gospel brings to mind a teaching memory from years ago. Kenny was in my 4 th grade once a week art class and he was, to put it mildly, a handful. He was hyper, always moving, unable to focus – his classroom teacher couldn’t wait to send him to the art room. Although so exasperating he created some great artwork, and I displayed a drawing of his for the fall Open House knowing he would not have any other papers posted with wonderful comments or good grades. Greeting parents and students that night saw I saw Kenny with an older man, gray haired, wearing bib overalls. I pointed to Kenny’s drawing and said to him, “Did you see Kenny’s picture?” The man looked up at it with a huge smile and then putting his arms around this youngster looked up at me and said, “Oh, Sister, he is the apple of my eye.” Celebrate a