Childlike

Gospel
2 September 2009
25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mk. 9:30-37

I never ceased to be amazed by numerous apparitions of Our Lady. Recently I have been more surprised at the characters of the recipients of these messages. From St. Juan Diego to the children at Fatima, they all have one thing in common – simplicity. Most of these visionaries were children at the time of the apparitions. If not as in the case of Sts. Juan Diego, Catherine Laboure and Bernadette, they were not highly educated. In fact, we could even say that they barely have had basic education.

The simplicity of the recipients of the apparitions intensely reinforces today’s Gospel. Our Lord is telling us not only to love children but also (and more importantly) to tightly hold on to our child-likeness. For those of us who feel that we have lost the child in us, the Lord invites us today to welcome it back. It is in becoming childlike that we fully take advantage of His graces.

The Gospel also shows us what it means to be childlike. How ironic that the apostles argue who among themselves is the greatest when just moments before the GREATEST talked about suffering and death as His mission. I, for one, am so much like the apostles who are quick to own credit but will not even lift a finger to work. I run away from suffering finding all means and excuses to escape responsibility.

The way of a child is a way of humility. A child feels prouder of his parents than himself because he acknowledges that without them he can only do so much. Likewise, we give honor to God because He allows us to share in His power of creation. All of us may offer up every single good thing we do with the intention of serving God through others and at the same time knowing that God smilingly looks down on us with love.