The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030219.cfm)
reminds me how I can
enter God's kingdom.
What
makes children so special? Nowadays, we probably will say that children are
special because they remind us how simple life is, or how beautiful life is, or
that they can take our stress away. However, during the time of Jesus, children
were the least in society, together with women. That is why in one of the
accounts of the feeding of multitude, only the men were counted – women and children
were excluded from the count (Mt 14:13-21 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mat%2014:13-21;&version=NASB)
However,
God's ways are not our ways. His standards are not our standards.
In
the gospel, the disciples prevented children from touching Jesus. Probably for
them, children were not important. They probably think that only important
people should come to Jesus. But Jesus surprised them by saying that God's
kingdom belong to the children. Not only that, he also said that people should
imitate a child. Wow.
Why?
Probably
because of the reason why the children were the least in society. They were
least because as they cannot contribute anything to their family and to
society, they were totally dependent on their parents to survive. They have
their full trust in their parents. Jesus wants this attitude – to be totally
dependent on God to survive, to know that we cannot do anything or contribute anything
significant if not blessed by God. Only when we have this attitude can we
receive God's kingdom. Only when we know who we are versus who he is can we
begin to appreciate him, his blessings, his goodness. Only can we give
importance to his kingdom - the importance he deserves.
May
we realize that God’s standard of greatness is not like ours, and be humble and
surrender our lives to Him like children to their parents… then we can expect
to be welcomed in God’s kingdom as well.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.
thank you for another weekend. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the
times I do not act like a child. Sorry for being proud and dependent on myself
and my achievements. Sorry for losing my focus. Give me the heart of a child. I
surrender to you my plans, and I allow you to bring me where I would be able to
glorify you the most. Lord, May I always remember that your standards of
greatness are different from the world, and may I always remember to humble
myself and submit to you, totally depending on you as I live my life, pretty
much how I was when I was a child. Use me to glorify your name. Help me for
eternity with you as I live on earth. Amen.
Blessed Weekend!
In Christ,
-g-
March 2 2019
Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 346
Lectionary: 346
Reading
1 SIR 17:1-15
God
from the earth created man,
and in his own image he made him.
He makes man return to earth again,
and endows him with a strength of his own.
Limited days of life he gives him,
with power over all things else on earth.
He puts the fear of him in all flesh,
and gives him rule over beasts and birds.
He created for them counsel, and a tongue and eyes and ears,
and an inventive heart,
and filled them with the discipline of understanding.
He created in them knowledge of the spirit;
With wisdom he fills their heart;
good and evil he shows them.
He put the fear of himself upon their hearts,
and showed them his mighty works,
That they might glory in the wonder of his deeds
and praise his holy name.
He has set before them knowledge,
a law of life as their inheritance;
An everlasting covenant he has made with them,
his justice and his judgments he has revealed to them.
His majestic glory their eyes beheld,
his glorious voice their ears heard.
He says to them, "Avoid all evil";
each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men.
Their ways are ever known to him,
they cannot be hidden from his eyes.
Over every nation he places a ruler,
but God's own portion is Israel.
All their actions are clear as the sun to him,
his eyes are ever upon their ways.
and in his own image he made him.
He makes man return to earth again,
and endows him with a strength of his own.
Limited days of life he gives him,
with power over all things else on earth.
He puts the fear of him in all flesh,
and gives him rule over beasts and birds.
He created for them counsel, and a tongue and eyes and ears,
and an inventive heart,
and filled them with the discipline of understanding.
He created in them knowledge of the spirit;
With wisdom he fills their heart;
good and evil he shows them.
He put the fear of himself upon their hearts,
and showed them his mighty works,
That they might glory in the wonder of his deeds
and praise his holy name.
He has set before them knowledge,
a law of life as their inheritance;
An everlasting covenant he has made with them,
his justice and his judgments he has revealed to them.
His majestic glory their eyes beheld,
his glorious voice their ears heard.
He says to them, "Avoid all evil";
each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men.
Their ways are ever known to him,
they cannot be hidden from his eyes.
Over every nation he places a ruler,
but God's own portion is Israel.
All their actions are clear as the sun to him,
his eyes are ever upon their ways.
Responsorial
Psalm PS 103:13-14, 15-16, 17-18
R.
(see 17) The
Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him,
For he knows how we are formed;
he remembers that we are dust.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Man's days are like those of grass;
like a flower of the field he blooms;
The wind sweeps over him and he is gone,
and his place knows him no more.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity
to eternity toward those who fear him,
And his justice toward children's children
among those who keep his covenant.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him,
For he knows how we are formed;
he remembers that we are dust.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Man's days are like those of grass;
like a flower of the field he blooms;
The wind sweeps over him and he is gone,
and his place knows him no more.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity
to eternity toward those who fear him,
And his justice toward children's children
among those who keep his covenant.
R. The Lord's kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.
Alleluia SEE MT 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
People
were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
"Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,
"Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it."
Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.
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