At a conference several years ago, I was responsible for a display of children's books. All throughout the afternoon, parents approached and bought books for their children. Occasionally a parent would tell a child to choose any book on the table—but only one. The smallest children inevitably chose the same book: The Stations of the Cross. I had thought that the image of the crucified Jesus on the cover would frighten them, but in their innocent simplicity, they could see beyond the horror of the cross to the love it expresses.