The Word in Other Words by Fr Patricio de los Reyes SVD (Philippines)
Saturday Week 19 Ordinary Time, Jos 24:14-29, Mt 19:13-15
In my first mission assignment in Botswana, Southern Africa, I met many women who had no husbands but they had children. One woman came to us asking for help for her five small children, sired by five different fathers. I could easily judge them as promiscuous and immoral, But when I spoke to many of the single mothers in our mission station they revealed to me that they just loved to have children and marriage was not important to them; children were. So they didn’t think of their action as immoral. I didn’t want to judge them but I didn‘t want to say either that they were to be imitated except for their love of children.
There is no doubt that even here in our country, we love children. Personally, I love to be with children. They remind me of my pursuit for innocence and purity of mind and heart. Most of the children, especially those trained in good manners and right conduct at home, are so straightforward and honest in expressing their minds. They don’t mean harm when they are honest. Whenever children quarrel, they easily patch up differences unlike adults. They easily trust.
Jesus gave us the reason why the Kingdom of God belongs to little children, You and I know why. Lessons:
I must love children by promoting their rights and dignity.
I must pursue childlike trust in God.
I must teach children the values of the Kingdom of God.
Éditions Verbum Bible 