May 15, 2008

out of the mouths of babes

It was an awkward show, but always good for a laugh. "Kids Say the Darndest Things" was hosted by Art Linkletter (best name in TV?) and Bill Cosby. And by and large the title of the show held true, kids did really say the darndest things.

The Psalm for Trinity Sunday offers us something else kids say, (8.2) "Out of the mouths of infants and children *your majesty is praised above the heavens." I have found this to be very true; often when they say nothing at all. I was honored to splash holy water around for the first time this weekend. Our friends J & C allowed me the privilege to take part as their almost 5 month old baptized this weekend - it was cool. (Kinda like my wedding though - Four days later and I don't remember many of the details). Anyway, I don't have a good, rock solid, theology of infant baptism, but it is holy none-the-less. The look in the eyes of a 5 month old baby (screaming or not - she wasn't) in that sacramental moment makes me certain that God is there.

Then, in my Tradition, being baptized is all you need to approach the altar rail and receive Communion. There again, without saying a word, I see infants and children praising God above the heavens. The joy that is in their faces as they receive the body of Christ leads me to believe that they have a much better grasp of what is going on that just about everybody else (clergy included). I don't remember where I read/heard it, but there is an author out there who writes about the regression of the human ability to experience the holy. Seems as the memory of God with us in the womb fades in those first few years that it becomes harder and harder to received from God his presence. At least of a while, however, as young children we are able to see, feel, and hear God much more really.

"Out of the mouths of infants and children *
your majesty is praised above the heavens."

3 comments:

Peter said...

Okay..young man...how do you know about "Kid's Say the Darndest Things?" I was born in the early '60's and remember watching it with my grandmother..and that is when Linkletter was old!

(Kathy) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
(Kathy) said...

Steve - A little behind on my blog reading - and losing track of how to do it - anyway - the reference about memories of immortality from early childhood could be the Wordsworth poem I talked about in a blog post last summer -"Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Early Youth"
I think you do have a theology of infant baptism, but maybe that's just me reading between the lines. :) Anyway, that Wordsworth/vaguely neoplatonist view is compelling in its way.