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His life divides recorded history. For the western world his influence shapes the cultural and spiritual landscape of our civilization. Those who are Christian know him as savior. To others he is viewed as prophet, teacher, ethicist, moral thinker, visionary, miracle worker, social crusader and healer.

All would agree: he loved children. His teaching became tender and poignant when he called the little ones to him and said if you are to understand me, you will come to me carrying the innocence of a child.

There was a time, late in his brief three-year public ministry, when viewing the city of Jerusalem, he wept in knowledge of the suffering he knew filled the city. Included in that suffering was his knowledge of the little ones. the lambs. the children.

"Jesus wept." I believe this two-word sentence in the New Testament remains as the ceaseless story of his work, specifically with the children of the 21st century.

The most visible faces of childrens' suffering are the images and stories we see and hear related to starvation, physical disease, emotional deprivation and substance abuse. There is another, surely not so visible, yet no less significant world-wide pain. It is diseased thinking. It is experienced by suffering children who know neither the tender hand of character guidance or the strong voice of caring from a parent, grandparent or teacher who can lead a child to become a kid of character.

To confront the suffering known as humanity's diseased thinking, the carpenter from Nazareth gave a great deal of attention to teaching people how to think. He used lessons from his own life experience to encourage individuals to harness an empowered, responsible thinking that could help every person, young and old, step over their stumbling blocks. His ethical and moral teaching is summarized in the master's plan, The Beatitudes.

Parents, grandparents and teachers can seek the timeless wisdom found in the master's plan to help the children they love transform the suffering caused by diseased thinking.

May the innocent child of Bethlehem, announced by the heavens, bring holiday joy to you and the children you love.