The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/100217.cfm)
reminds me that I should be childlike to be great in God's eyes.
Young children usually obey
their parents. When they are asked to be quiet, to do or not to do something,
they don't usually ask why. Sometimes they do, but even if they don't fully understand the explanation of
their parents, they still obey. They still follow. They respect
their parents. Hindi sila pasaway na gagawin ang gusto nila. This attitude is
what God wants us to have. This is what God wants us to be - childlike.
In the first reading, we see
that this is what God wants from the people. He wants them to obey and submit
themselves to Him as their God. He said that they shall be my people, and I
will be their God. In the gospel, Jesus said that God did not reveal
things to the wise and learned of the world. Instead, he revealed them to the
childlike.
What
is being childlike? A childlike attitude
puts full faith and trust in the parents
Kapag
bata, walang choice eh. The child needs to rely on the parents to walk, stand
up, eat, etc. Ganun nalang yung dependency nya sa magulang. Ganun nalang yung
tiwala nya sa magulang. Complete faith
A childish attitude is the opposite.
It
is when a person wants to have things their
way. Kapag hindi nakuha ang gusto, magdadabog o magagalit. Gusto
laging masunod. The focus is on the self.
This
is why God blessed the childlike. He blessed those who relied on Him, instead of relying on their
own personal achievements. He blessed those who know that they are nothing and
everything that they have is from God, not those who think highly of themselves
because of their accomplishments and credentials. And in the gospel, Jesus said
that God revealed himself to the childlike and not to the learned. Because the
childlike have open hearts ready to welcome Him and will not argue with him or
push him away.
God
wants us to have that childlike faith – faith that will humble ourselves and
totally rely on and trust in Him,
knowing that He is the only one who loves us enough to die for us and save us
from our sin, and that everything happening will lead to a full life in Him.
Are
you childlike or childish? Are you proud of your own accomplishments and
credentials that you forget the source of all those? Do you get mad at God when
things don’t go your way, or when you don’t understand everything that is
happening? Do you have full faith in God, confidently walking with him even if
you can only see until the next step, knowing that He will be there every step
of the way?
May we be sensitive to how we react to God, and work on having and pray for a childlike faith and attitude towards God.
May we be sensitive to how we react to God, and work on having and pray for a childlike faith and attitude towards God.
Father
God,
Thank
you for today. Thank you for another week to live and to experience your love.
Thank you for reminding me the importance of being childlike and not childish.
Lord, sorry for the many times I act childish. Sorry for getting mad at you
when things do not go my way. Sorry for wanting things my way. Sorry for not
having faith in you. Increase my faith. May I always trust in you, especially
when things are challenging. A lot of times, I do not understand what is
happening and how all these could turn into something great. But Lord, i have
faith that you can see, and that as long as I cooperate with your plan, things
will turn out great. May I develop that childlike faith as I live my life in
service of you. Amen.
Blessed
week!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflection:
October 2, 2017
Memorial of the Guardian Angels
Lectionary: 455/650
Reading 1ZEC 8:1-8
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
I am intensely jealous for Zion,
stirred to jealous wrath for her.
Thus says the LORD:
I will return to Zion,
and I will dwell within Jerusalem;
Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city,
and the mountain of the LORD of hosts,
the holy mountain.
Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women,
each with staff in hand because of old age,
shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.
The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Even if this should seem impossible
in the eyes of the remnant of this people,
shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also,
says the LORD of hosts?
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun,
and from the land of the setting sun.
I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem.
They shall be my people, and I will be their God,
with faithfulness and justice.
Responsorial PsalmPS 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 AND 22-23
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
"The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die."
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence.
That the name of the LORD may be declared in Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together,
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
AlleluiaPS 103:21
Bless the LORD, all you angels,
you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 18:1-5, 10
"Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever humbles himself like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."
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