20th Day of Advent

Unless you turn and become like children, you shall never enter the kingdom of heaven. 

                                                                                                  ~Matthew 18: 3

 

To be little, you have to abandon yourself as children do, believe as children believe, beg as children beg.  ~St. Jose Maria Escriva

 

We have to approach Bethlehem with the dispositions of little children – simply, without prejudice, with our souls wide open to grace, and become completely child-like.  This is not childishness, but innocence and simplicity, devoid of any feeling of self-sufficiency.  A child is in constant need of its parents and knows it.  A child lives completely in the present and nothing more.  The greatest daring is always that of children.  Who cries for the moon, blind to dangers in getting what he wants?  We must renounce our pride and self-sufficiency, recognizing that we need grace and the help of God to find our way and keep it.  The child knows that when his father is there, nothing can go wrong and nothing bad can happen to him. Even though others may deceive him, he knows his father will never be unfriendly or hostile, because he understands.  Children are not unduly sensitive to fear of ridicule which paralyses so many undertakings.  Nor do they care about human respect born of pride and the dread of what others may think. Children tumble down, but they quickly pick themselves up again.  Unpleasant experiences are easily forgotten, not brooded upon as so often happens with adult souls.  Another consequence of spiritual childhood is the gentle virtue of meekness.  The adult soul assumes that he knows many things, but in reality he is ignorant.  He thinks he knows, but has in fact not penetrated beyond external appearances.   We can turn to Mary to learn how to be children in the sight of God.  Our Mother shows us how to be authentic sons and daughters, to love truly without limit, to be simple without the complications which come from selfishly thinking only about ourselves; to be happy, knowing that nothing can destroy hope.

                                                                                 ~In Conversation with God vol. 1 p. 177-183

 

 

 

Pro-Life Challenge:

Do I totally abandon myself to God’s will, believing as a child, and begging with the faith of a child?