My youngest son had a great time in preschool Religious Education class last year. For the first time, he went to “school” like his big brothers. His teachers were wonderful. About two weeks before Easter, they gathered the children to talk about the Easter story. I imagine they told the story in simple terms to the children, and related it in real life to the crucifix they see in our church. Our son took it in seriously, pondering it in his heart.

When I picked him up from class that afternoon, he took my hand. As we began to walk, he looked up and me and said,

“Now Mom, this might be a little scary….But Jesus went around talking and some people got mad at him. So, they had these sharp things they put in Jesus’ hands, and in his head, then… they nailed him to the wall of the church!”

Our children are so precious that we want what is best for them. So, we bring them to God, knowing He is their greatest good. We do what all those who take faith seriously say to do. We do what we have been taught to do. We do what we know is right to do. We bring our children to the feet of the Father who is their Life and their Hope.

In bringing our children to God, we are entrusting back to Him the life He has given us. We bring our children in trust, thinking of how God can help protect them, nurture them, and love them. We hope to teach our children that Jesus is their best friend, and that God loves them.

What we sometimes forget is that although God is love, the Cross is also central to our faith. It is a symbol and a reality. When we bring our children to God, we also bring them into the shadow of the Cross.

We love our children and do everything we can to help them grow in safety and happiness. However, we cannot protect our children from the Cross. It is a reality in each one of our lives. It will be present in our children’s lives as well. Nothing we do can change that.

Should that make us despair? No. The Cross is both pain and power. We all suffer in this world. We can protect our children from pain or hurt as much as we can, but we cannot stop it from happening.

My own children met the Cross about two years ago, when one of their aunts was diagnosed with terminal cancer. They were with her through much of it, watching her suffer and deteriorate. They were with her son, and each member of our family as we carried our pain. Although they were young when she died, ages 7,5, and 2 ½, they were old enough to walk the way of the Cross. They still ask questions from time to time, trying to sort it all out.

My husband and I did not want them to know such pain so early in life. However, we could not prevent this from happening. We were left with two choices – to rebel against the Cross, and so show our children that suffering is needless and bad, or to embrace the Cross, and try to show our children that suffering is painful, but full of God’s grace.

It was not an easy decision. Do we not always wish to turn from the Cross? Embracing the Cross required a daily decision to trust God even though He made no sense. Embracing the Cross meant being vulnerable and showing our children, earlier than we would wish, that even parents are sometimes helpless and lost, as well.

Our children knew the pain of the Cross when they lost their aunt, a woman who always made time for them and played their games – who loved them unconditionally. Our children knew the pain of the Cross as everyone left behind mourned.

We could not protect them from it. All we could do was try to lead by imperfect example.

Children face the Cross in many ways. Sometimes it is in illness, sometimes through painful family situations, sometimes it is in not feeling loved or accepted. When and how our children face the Cross is usually out of our control.

That is one reason the Crucifix, versus a bare Cross, is such an important symbol of our faith. When we suffer, and gaze upon the Crucifix, we find Jesus there, reminding us that we do not suffer alone. He is with us every step of the way. He will be with our children, too, when they face the Cross.

This is dangerous faith. Accepting the joys of Easter morning along with the pain of Good Friday.

No one ever said dangerous faith was going to be easy!

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