Saturday of 19th Week in Ordinary Time
THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM
It is true that we often suffer the consequences or enjoy the benefits of the deeds of others, good or bad, that there is a solidarity in sin. Yet, Ezekiel points out for us today, that each is personally responsible for the good or evil one does. And so, he calls the people out of their fatalistic attitude. As God’s sons and daughters, we should renew ourselves and personally commit ourselves to all that is good.
Few people today take Jesus’ words seriously when he says: “To such as these little children the kingdom of heaven belongs.” Many, for example, discredit the spirituality of the little way of St. Therese of Lisieux. We speak of adulthood in Christ, of a human and spiritual maturity. And yet, true adulthood consists in what God wanted us to be in Jesus Christ, in being receptive to the Gospel. To the disciples, who have no use for children and who want to cut the Gospel to the measure of their petty ideas, Jesus holds up the child not as a sign of innocence but as a model of openness to God and to the Good News of his Son. It is the entrance ticket to the kingdom.
Reading – Ezekiel 18:1-10, 13B, 30-32
God’s Message to me: “What do you people mean by going around the country repeating the saying,
The parents ate green apples, The children got the stomachache? “As sure as I’m the living God, you’re not going to repeat this saying in Israel any longer. Every soul—man, woman, child—belongs to me, parent and child alike. You die for your own sin, not another’s. “Imagine a person who lives well, treating others fairly, keeping good relationships—
doesn’t eat at the pagan shrines,
doesn’t worship the idols so popular in Israel,
doesn’t seduce a neighbor’s spouse,
doesn’t indulge in casual sex,
doesn’t bully anyone,
doesn’t pile up bad debts,
doesn’t steal,
doesn’t refuse food to the hungry,
doesn’t refuse clothing to the ill-clad,
doesn’t exploit the poor,
doesn’t live by impulse and greed,
doesn’t treat one person better than another,
But lives by my statutes and faithfully
honors and obeys my laws.
This person who lives upright and well
shall live a full and true life.
Decree of God, the Master. “But if this person has a child who turns violent and murders and goes off and does any of these things, even though the parent has done none of them—
eats at the pagan shrines,
seduces his neighbor’s spouse,
bullies the weak,
steals,
piles up bad debts,
admires idols,
commits outrageous obscenities,
exploits the poor
“—do you think this person, the child, will live? Not a chance! Because he’s done all these vile things, he’ll die. And his death will be his own fault.
“The upshot is this, Israel: I’ll judge each of you according to the way you live. So turn around! Turn your backs on your rebellious living so that sin won’t drag you down. Clean house. No more rebellions, please. Get a new heart! Get a new spirit! Why would you choose to die, Israel? I take no pleasure in anyone’s death. Decree of God, the Master.
“Make a clean break! Live!”
Gospel – Matthew 19:13-15
One day children were brought to Jesus in the hope that he would lay hands on them and pray over them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus intervened: “Let the children alone, don’t prevent them from coming to me. God’s kingdom is made up of people like these.” After laying hands on them, he left.
Prayer
Lord our God,
you love all that is little and humble.
As a child seeks refuge in the arms of its parents,
may our strength be to let you carry us.
Teach us through little children
not to boast of anything we have
or anything we have done
but to be open to and receptive of your grace.
For you are our greatness and richness
through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
Reflection:
13 August 2022
Matthew 19: 13-15
“Do not prevent them”
Who doesn’t love children? Parents and family love watching them growing up. Being a parent is a vocation. But giving birth to a child does not make anyone a parent. A parent is one who accepts the task of integral formation of a child and raises him or her into physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual maturity.
Today’s Gospel reminds us of our responsibility to take our children to God. How often do we hear the secular-minded parents saying that, “Faith is a personal choice and religious beliefs should not be imposed on children? Let the children choose their faith when they are old enough to do so.” But these generous parents, ironically do not give that equal freedom to their kids when it comes to choosing the food they eat, the dress they wear, the schools they go to, and their activities they engage in. Because, when it comes to these aspects, parents believe that they know what is the best for their children and wish to give them the very best of everything.
The Gospel talks about people bringing their children to Jesus so that he might bless them. A faulty understanding of secularism and personal freedom prevents today’s parents from bringing their children to God. There are many Catholic parents who do not consider religious and faith formation as anything worthwhile. The parents would not mind if their children skipped the Sunday liturgy and catechism, in order to attend tuition classes and co-curricular activities. While giving their children the best of everything, parents no longer feel the necessity of introducing God to their children. It is the sacred mission of the parents to teach their children, not only to aspire to be successful people in the world, but even moreimportantly to aspire for heaven!
“Do Not Prevent Them” Jesus rebukes his disciples who tried to send the parents and their children away from approaching Jesus: It is a moving Gospel narrative. It is our experience that children in grave difficulty are often given extraordinary parents, ready and willing to make every sacrifice. Parents of children with special needs turn out to be extremely gifted special parents. But these parents should not be left alone! We as disciples of Jesus today, should not leave them aside, instead must accompany them in their struggles, and also offer them moments of shared joy, so that they are not left alone with their daily routines.
Pope Francis reminds us of the lesson about the angels of children: The Lord judges our life according to what the angels of children tell him, because these angels “always behold the face of the Father who is in heaven” (cf. Mt 18:10). Let us always ask ourselves: what will the children’s guardian angels tell God about us?