“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (MT 19: 14)
We all have different memories from our childhood: some of us were firstborn and experienced unfair changes in parenting with our younger siblings; some of us were the youngest and experienced being educated by everybody. Some of us had a very difficult childhood, a very sad time in our lives. Our God comes to us to tell us how important we are to Him and invites us to come to Him as a His children—complicated, wounded, immature, selfish and childish. Still—as a His children. And He prepared for us His home where He will love us forever; “for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Because behind our limited and childish behaviours are poor children, hungry for love and calling for love. When we are loved by God, we can grow and share His love with others. His love can change everything. Even us.
“Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“For I will re-establish my covenant with you, that you may know that I am the LORD, that you may remember and be covered with confusion, and that you may be utterly silenced for shame when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.” (EZ 16: 62-63)
Our Merciful God always comes with forgiveness and pardon. He wants to “re-establish our covenant with Him, that we may know that He is the Lord.” In the Bible to know somebody means to be in the most intimate relationship. We are loved, and Our Lord forgets all our sins when we bring them to Him.
“Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but, as it truly is, the word of God.”
“‘Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.’” (MT 18: 21-22)
Our daily life situations include—“my brother sins against me” and I sin against him/her. This happens not because I wanted it, but because we are different: with different experiences, a different life story, a different hierarchy of values and a different level of fragility. Jesus gives us only one strategy—forgive! Always! “Not seven times but seventy-seven times”—limitless forgiveness.
“Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (JN 12: 24)
Death, which “produces much fruit,” and a gift of self, which offers love, are on the same page. Through his death Jesus is accessible to all and a giver of self Who will live forever. When we are concerned about how to be more a free, creative and joyful gift of self, we can recall “a grain of wheat [who] falls to the ground and dies”—and “produces much fruit.”
“Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life, says the Lord.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” (MT 18: 3-5)
The child is held up as a model for the disciples not because of any supposed innocence of children but because of their complete dependence on, and trust in, their parents. So must the disciples be, in respect to God. Every parent knows how children’s dependence on and trust in him/her motivates them to do everything for their children. How much more God will do for us—His children.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year, that is, of King Jehoiachin’s exile, The word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar.—There the hand of the LORD came upon me.” (EZ 1: 1-3)
“On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year, …in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar”—how precisely the Bible informs us about the exact time and place. It shows us how important is the word of the Lord. Every day we receive God’s word. The exact time and place for us could be different, but the same dignity and importance of God’s word answers our needs.
“God has called you through the Gospel to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” (LK 12: 32-34)
Those who recognize their complete dependence on God, not on material possessions, are chosen ones. Their hearts are protected by God, and they will find “treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.” That kind of dependence could be difficult for us, so Our Lord also takes care of this—“do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” From our side we give trust and dependence; from Him come all the benefits, like fathers do for their children.
“Stay awake and be ready! For you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white.” (LK 9: 28-29)
The “mountain” is the regular place of prayer in Luke’s Gospel. This time Our Lord didn’t go alone, but He “took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray.” We also can ask Jesus to take us “up a mountain to pray.” Prayer in its essence is a unique time with Him in front of the Father, listening to Him.
“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah, fulfill your vows!” (NA 2: 1)
Too often we can meet the opposite—the bearer of bad news—rumors, gossip or whispers about others; “the bearer of good news, announcing peace” is something absolutely different. “Announcing peace” brings hope and joy, makes us happy and causes us to expect all the best from the future, but not losing contact with reality, though the manner is not always as we expect. We can expect good because we are God’s children, and He takes the best care of us—like the “persecuted for the sake of righteousness,” who finally won the Kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” (Gospel Acclamation)
“No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.” (JER 31: 34)
One of the most heartfelt dreams for so many of us is that “their friends and relatives will know the LORD,” especially for parents seeing their children not practicing their faith or friends far away from God. We should remember that this is not only our concern—God will take care of them: “no longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the Lord.” The most important part of it is: “I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more;” a gift given to His Church as the Sacrament of Penance.
“You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Gospel Acclamation)
