May 24 2024 4 mins
Saturday 7th week in ordinary time "Mk 10:13-16"
And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. We don't find in the Gospels a detailed description of Jesus. In the old days people wrote about the deeds and words of ancient figures and left aside physical and psychological details about the person. Nevertheless, we find interesting words in the Gospels that give us a glimpse of how He was. Jesus loved children, their games and songs, their running around, their chatter and constant enjoyment. Children can be a nuisance sometimes. For Jesus, though, it was a joy to be surrounded by children, to kiss them and hug them. But it is also a fact that children loved Jesus. Little kids are not easily attracted by grown-ups. But they felt confident with Jesus because He was a lovable Man. A five-minute documentary about St John Paul II and children (http://ow.ly/10pnC6), explains his relationship with the little ones. It opens with the statement: "Six years have passed. And we are still wondering, why did we love him so much?" As images pass through the screen we are reminded of his 'popularity' among children, his affection, his smile, his warmth. At the end children give the answer to the opening question: "We loved him because he was like us. But especially because... he was like Christ." Children loved Jesus because He was like them. He was cheerful. He told funny stories (like the guy with the plank in his eye...) He didn't hesitate to play their games, sing their songs or tell them stories. And He asked His disciples to be like them. We need to learn a lot from children: their cheerfulness, their trust, their lack of personal concerns. They easily forget their wounds and offences and can laugh ten seconds after crying. They don't need much; they can enjoy themselves with a twig. Mary, my Mother, help us to be like children, to be like your Son.
And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. We don't find in the Gospels a detailed description of Jesus. In the old days people wrote about the deeds and words of ancient figures and left aside physical and psychological details about the person. Nevertheless, we find interesting words in the Gospels that give us a glimpse of how He was. Jesus loved children, their games and songs, their running around, their chatter and constant enjoyment. Children can be a nuisance sometimes. For Jesus, though, it was a joy to be surrounded by children, to kiss them and hug them. But it is also a fact that children loved Jesus. Little kids are not easily attracted by grown-ups. But they felt confident with Jesus because He was a lovable Man. A five-minute documentary about St John Paul II and children (http://ow.ly/10pnC6), explains his relationship with the little ones. It opens with the statement: "Six years have passed. And we are still wondering, why did we love him so much?" As images pass through the screen we are reminded of his 'popularity' among children, his affection, his smile, his warmth. At the end children give the answer to the opening question: "We loved him because he was like us. But especially because... he was like Christ." Children loved Jesus because He was like them. He was cheerful. He told funny stories (like the guy with the plank in his eye...) He didn't hesitate to play their games, sing their songs or tell them stories. And He asked His disciples to be like them. We need to learn a lot from children: their cheerfulness, their trust, their lack of personal concerns. They easily forget their wounds and offences and can laugh ten seconds after crying. They don't need much; they can enjoy themselves with a twig. Mary, my Mother, help us to be like children, to be like your Son.