“LET THE Little children come unto me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Mt 19:14). These are the words of Jesus, whose own birth as a human child we just celebrated at Christmas. But how welcoming as a society are we?

While on a Christian understanding the child deserves an unconditional welcome, some of our current practices are totally irreconcilable with Jesus’ words of welcome. Not content unconditionally to accept the child-to-be as a gift, it would seem that we are increasingly on a quest for the perfect child. Therefore, even if we are seeking to improve lifts and doors and cars and so on for the disabled among us, they might sometimes wonder how we really feel about them.

We have seen other societies taking a turn for the worse and allowing euthanasia for the old and for the ill or disabled. We should seek as a society to heal the sick and alleviate suffering, doing so by caring not killing off those with imperfections. And since imperfection is part of our creaturely and mortal nature, we all need help at sometime, let us try and ensure that our laws reflect that help.

Norman Plaisted Vivian Road Newport