The Word God Spells

Luke 7: 31-35
1 Cor 12: 31 – 13: 13 / Ps 33: 2-5, 12, 22

…wisdom is proved right by all her children.
(Luke 7: 35)

To be like a child once again,
Is to be like Jesus in His ways,
And this can only happen when
Our hearts are open and by God’s grace.

(Jesus said), “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ‘ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.” (Luke 7: 31-35)

Reflection

Jesus was referring to the religious leaders of the Jews, particularly the scribes and the Pharisees, who were being childish in their unreasonable criticisms against Him and John the Baptist. They were behaving like spoiled children who tell their playmates, “You can’t join OUR games because you don’t follow OUR rules.” They did not want to accept the New Covenant that Jesus and John the Baptist were teaching, because they did not want to lose their control over the Jewish people. The Good News was a threat to their exalted position. Their blind obstinacy, prejudice, and hard-heartedness marked their spiritual immaturity.

Jesus said, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.18:3). God wants us to be childlike in our faith, but not to be childish in our ways. There is a great difference between being childlike and behaving like a child. Children are beloved of God because of their trusting curiosity and adaptability to change. It is a childlike quality to follow and obey, and in the process to learn. Because of their innocence, they trust those in authority, and are easy to teach. This is not the case with the childish. They are usually the spoiled brats who always get what they want because they throw a tantrum if they are disappointed. They do not act their age because they refuse to grow up. St. Paul says, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1Cor.13:11)

In many religious communities, we may find leaders and members who possess childlike qualities, but we can’t miss their childish counterparts as well. While the former give of themselves unselfishly for love of service to God and community, the latter cling to their selfish attitudes, and their vested interests get in the way of cooperation and unity. Like the stubborn Jewish leaders in Jesus’ time, the childish ones among us only make their world become smaller, and stunt the growth of love and peace in their hearts because they refuse to accept the changes that are happening around them. They are forever griping and critical about “new things” that they are not familiar with, or do not conform to their “tested ways”. Like spoiled brats, they complain to or blame higher authorities, instead of confronting the immediate problems or challenges before them.

Christ is our Model to follow if we are to grow from being childish to childlike in our ways. All of His qualities are plain to see in the Scriptures: humble, forgiving, compassionate, kind, unassuming, transparent, understanding, respectful, patient, trusting and truthful.

Teach us, Lord, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, and by constant meditation on Your Word how we can be more childlike in dealing with situations and other people. For we are still childish in many ways, and only by Your grace can we become Your children. Amen.

Matthew 19: 13-15
Ez 18: 1-10. 13b. 30-32 / Ps 51: 12-15,18-19

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
(Matthew 19: 14)

Faith has led us to believe
That of all the gifts God has given,
Including this life we live,
We feel God’s love most in our children.

Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there. (Matthew 19: 13-15)

Reflection

Instead of preventing the children from going to Jesus, His disciples should have tried to emulate them, as their Master had taught them in the previous chapter: “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.18:3). He took the occasion to remind His obtuse followers again that “the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

In what ways do we prevent our children from going to Jesus? First of all, when we are not doing a good job at being role models of true Christian living. Like when they see us indulge in harmful substances like alcohol and tobacco, or in pornographic magazines or videos. When they hear us use foul language, especially in heated arguments with our spouse. When they see us eat like a glutton (probably why diabetes runs in the family?). Children are by nature imitative, and their earliest influences begin at home. Parents, therefore, have a great responsibility in bringing to or preventing their children from going to Jesus.

Secondly, we can also be obstacles to our children’s spiritual growth by omission, if we are not always there to discipline them and teach them at least the basic doctrines of our faith and our Lord’s Gospel values. By our teaching and example, our children can learn how to handle their emotions and temperament, and develop their self-worth. This process can take time and patience, and there are no short-cut methods. Some parents make up for their absence by being too strict in disciplining their children, which only strains all the more their relationship with them. St. Paul advises, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger. But raise your children with the training and teaching of the Lord” (Eph.6: 4).

In this age of hyperspeed communications, it is ironic that we find an ever-widening gap in effective dialogue between parents and their children. Mainly because of economic necessity both parents are finding less time with their children, consequently leaving them vulnerable to dangerous influences outside the home. The incidences of pre-marital sex and unwanted pregnancies becoming common occurrences in some high schools should alarm parents to be more circumspect in the formation of our Lord’s values in their children. We cannot always be there to guard our children, but their proper upbringing in our homes, our example in the Christian way of life, and above all, our constant prayers for them will surely count a lot in bringing them closer to Jesus.

Lord of love and Life, protect all our children, especially those who are vulnerable to the evil influences of drugs, alcohol, and pornography. Grant that all parents may be guided by Your Holy Spirit to be vigilant and discerning in the proper upbringing of their children. Grant them the grace to be patient, strong and compassionate, O Lord, for their sake, and for Your gifts of their children. Amen.

Mark 10: 13-16
Jas 5: 13-20 / Ps 141: 1-2, 3, 8

Those who will not receive God’s kingdom like a child will never enter it.
(Mark 10:15)

How does one become like a child?
By greeting others with a smile...
With a mind pure and undefiled,
And a heart free of any guile.

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10: 13-16)

Reflection

We have much to learn from children if we want to be assured of entry into heaven. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. So what are the qualities of children that we need to “re-learn” to merit God’s kingdom? The first is to have a trusting heart. Children have no anxieties or fears when their parents are near. When our second grandson learned to walk, one of the fun games he discovered was diving from their bed to a pile of pillows he laid on the floor. We found his antics so funny that he kept doing it over and over again. He must have seen divers doing it on tv, and in the presence of his Mommy, he set out to do a show for her fearlessly. As children of a loving God, why should we entertain any fear in our life when we trust that He is always in our midst to protect us and provide for all our needs? “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” (Prov.3:5-6)

Another endearing quality of most children that we need to follow is their desire to please their parents. My grandson kept diving off the bed because he saw how his mother was enjoying his creativity and boldness. The sweetest thing for a child to hear are the words: “I’m so proud of you.” In order to be pleasing to our Father in heaven, it is not enough that we avoid wrongdoing; we must also show our sincere love for others, most especially the poor and underprivileged by works of charity and mercy. Only then can we also hear those cherished words, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.” (Mt.25:21)

Finally, from our “apo”, we also learned the importance of a creative spirit, or the desire to discover the wonders of creation. Children have an innate craving to learn new things every day, the reason why they are perpetually asking questions about many things. Parents who are wise and loving never tire to explain things and patiently answer the questions of their children. They know this is the way to develop their intelligence and quest for knowledge. God, our Father also wants us to attain wisdom in order to deepen our understanding of our faith. He does not want us to be like zombies, blindly following Church doctrines without grasping their biblical significance. This is the reason why our Brotherhood urges us to read the Bible and meditate on its passages everyday. We are also encouraged to pray to God at least 15 minutes each day, to ask for His grace of wisdom and discernment, so that we may always appreciate everything in our life. The scion of a prominent family committed suicide because he was frustrated with his life. The drugs that he was addicted to had stripped him of all appreciation and gratitude for all the blessings in his life; he had lost the desire to discover God’s wonders in his life; it had become an empty shell, dull and boring to death. We must never lose the little child’s awe and joy for God’s wonders in His creation.

Lord God, keep our hearts full of trust in Your love and mercy, that we may also be loving and merciful. May all our words and works be pleasing to You, and may we never lose the gift of curiosity and wonder for all the miracles in our lives. Amen.