Suffer the little children

I’ve been appalled. I know I don’t have all the facts but I still can’t stop the bile from rising and the anger from growing. I have three children and the thought that there may have been over 600 incidents of sexual misconduct and abuse toward children by priests and other workers in the Catholic Church in Victoria makes me seethe. And what is worse, it seems, when those incidents have been investigated rather than being forwarded to the police those involved or responsible have just been quietly moved on. I’m appalled and I really hope it is not true. But I suspect it is true and I await with dread more facts being revealed.

However, my response is not the one that ought to worry the perpetrators of those crimes, whoever they are. It is Jesus’ response to their despicable actions that they ought to fear. With a child near him, Jesus says these words:

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! (Matthew’s gospel, Chapter 18)

In short, it would be far better to have died by drowning than enter into judgement after you’ve stopped a child from knowing and trusting Jesus. Jesus continues, preaching about hell and how it would be much better to lose a limb than it would be to go to hell with two limbs.

If people working in the name of a church, any church, or any Christian organisation have mistreated children then it almost inevitable that those children will no longer trust Jesus because of what has been done to them by those who represent him.

And, what is Jesus’ response those who harm children and especially those who represent him in this? There will be hell to pay.

^{Photo by Allan Mas from Pexels}