I was thinking about this today, while at a concert listening to Ravel's (!!!) Mother Goose's Suite.
[1] At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven? [2] And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them, [3]And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. [4] Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. [5] And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Chapter 18:
http://www.drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=47&ch=18&l=3#x
How does one become as like little children? How does one be like a child? What does it mean to become as like little children?
These questions may baffle a young adult coming from the throes of teenage life (how so? since a young adult has just graduated from being a child!), may baffle an adult, a middle aged adult, or a person of any age, not a child. How does one pick out the essentials of being like a child?
The answer came to me rather suddenly, Deo volente, Deo gratias et Mariae.
Trustful Surrender
Juxtaposing my experience as a new mother, my thoughts about Mother Mary and Jesus, my thoughts....
What does it mean to become as like little children?
It is an express command from dearest Jesus - to stop being adult like, to portray and live out (!) (note the bolded point: because the word converted is used in the Gospel) characteristics of children - or else we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.
There are 3 main points to this section:
(1) Children are totally "in the mercy" of their parents, even though they have the opportunity to exercise their own free will
(2) Children are innocent. (Innocent is defined as: free from moral wrong, not corrupted and doing everything with absolutely no malicious intention)
(3) It is so easy to make a child extremely happy! The little things in life, the "Little Way" especially of St Therese of the Child Jesus and Holy Face
(I will need to mark now, but I will come back to this as soon as I can. : ( please pray for me)
and I will like to end this post with this excerpt from the same Gospel quoted above, in my state of life as a mother and in my job as an educator, I need to remind myself of this:
[6] But he that
shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.
[7] Woe to the world because of scandals. For
it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.
[8] And if thy hand, or thy foot
scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.
[9] And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
[10] See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
[6] Shall scandalize: That is, shall put a stumblingblock in their way, and cause them to fall into sin.
[7] It must needs be: Viz., considering the wickedness and corruption of the world.
[8] Scandalize thee: That is, cause thee to offend.
The Gospel According to St. Matthew, Chapter 18:
http://www.drbo.org/x/d?b=drb&bk=47&ch=18&l=3#x
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, Anne, Therese, I love You; Save Souls!
Jesu mitis et humilis corde, Fac cor nostrum secundum Cor tuum. (ter)
Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori.
Labels: how to be a child, Trustful Surrender
