What Should We Do for Children
Lecture Summary
This lecture by Pope Shenouda III speaks about the importance of truly caring for children, not only through words, but through practical service that affects their lives. He confirms that the world has surpassed the Church in methods of caring for children through stories, magazines, libraries, and attractive educational means, while church care still needs great development.
His Holiness explains that the child is not merely young in age, but a person who has personality, talents, and abilities, and adults can learn from the child innocence, love, and simple faith. He also explains that the Lord Christ called people to become like children in purity, simplicity, and love.
The teaching focuses on the stage of early childhood, especially from one to five years old, because it is the stage in which the child’s personality is formed and in which the basic principles and doctrines are planted. The child at this age is distinguished by strong memory, quick learning, and acceptance of teaching without doubt or argument.
He also stresses the importance of using this stage to teach children the Holy Bible, hymns, praises, verses, and spiritual stories, because the child can memorize very easily, and what he learns in childhood remains inside him throughout his life.
He also speaks about the child’s wide imagination, and that the child loves stories, movement, music, and nature. Therefore, spiritual teaching must be presented in an attractive way suitable for the child’s mind and imagination, instead of leaving the world to fill his thoughts with ideas far from faith.
His Holiness confirms that the child needs love and tenderness more than rebuke and punishment, and that successful service for children is based on love, care, and gentleness, because the child is influenced by love and approaches the Church when he feels safety and attention.
He also calls for preparing suitable means for every age stage, such as magazines, libraries, stories, and educational programs, so that the child may find sound spiritual nourishment suitable for his age and needs.
In the end, the lecture confirms that serving children is a great spiritual responsibility, and that planting faith and love in the child’s heart from an early age helps him remain steadfast in God throughout his life and makes him a person filled with faith, purity, and love.
“For better translation support, please contact the center.”
