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Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
This morning I celebrated a baptism. The Gospel passage offered on this occasion should be familiar to all of us: "Love God with all your heart, with all your strength, with all your mind and with all your soul."
As Catholics we are often asked why we baptize children. Isn't it obvious? We want to give them our very best. Our faith in God is our very best.
Today's Gospel passage ties in perfectly with this morning's baptism.
Christ and a Child's Body. Young parents are so protective of their babies. They want to give them the highest quality products and are willing to spend the extra money for them, including organic products. They check twice the expiration date on everything, even non-perishable items! So, why wouldn't they give their children God, who is the very best for their heart, their soul, their mind and their body.
Believe me when I tell you that children are shocked when they first learn that there is someone that actually loves them more than their mom and dad. It's an even bigger shock for them when they find out that there is a place they can go to when they can't open up to their mom or dad about a problem they have or a mistake they have made(Confession).
Children need Christ like they need their body. They need Christ's constant reminder that their body is a temple of God's glory, and that it is not to be used or abused or turned into an object. Let the children come to me is a gentle reminder from God to them that their worth does not come from what others say but about them but from the one who created them.
In our super-hyper-sexualized world, children have fallen victim not only to adult abuse but also to child-on-child abuse: physical and sexual. Parents need to be vigilant. Kids are sexting. Kids are engaging in inappropriate touching with their friends. Kids are experimenting with each other. All these things can lead to serious and long lasting consequences.
If I were a parent, I would be very weary to allow my child's friends to come over for a sleep over. The hype regarding one's body and "sexuality" is causing more and more children to question their sexuality; to become curious about their "sexuality" and to experiment with their "sexuality."
I have heard far too many horror stories where tweens of the same sex, during a sleep over, inappropriately touched each other and were mimicking what they had seen adults do on TV and/or on the Internet.
Be aware of this!
Christ and a child's heart, mind and soul. Christ's words are not only good for the body but for the heart, mind, and soul as well. They are comforting. They are reassuring. They are balancing.
Christ's words are like a soothing ointment to our wounds. Let the children come to me is once again a gentle reminder that children can do no wrong that is unforgivable.
This is good for their psychology. This is good for our society! They need to know there is forgiveness of sins. That there is redemption, salvation and hope. They need to know there is love and that love conquers all things.
They know their parents would die for them. Now they need to know that someone else already did.
Just heard that a school in Georgia insists on keeping posters on their walls that state: "God is dead."
ReplyDeleteIf my child can't pray in a school then why should they have to see something as disturbing as this? This is unacceptable!!!
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/08/17/georgia-school-to-keep-display-featuring-god-is-dead-posters/
Thank you for this post. You hit the nail on the head. As a "kid" today, there is so much pressure and so many temptations and opportunities to turn to sensual satisfaction instead of the true fulfillment Christ brings. It seems like your worth is defined by what you're willing to offer and how far you are willing to go, not by WHO you are. Fighting the good fight is tough. It can even seem like an uphill battle. It's easy for kids to get into the mindset that they have to change who they are, compromising their identity and morals, to be deemed worthy of "love," forgetting the ultimate demonstration of love on the Cross.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much fr.alfonse for a great meditation . Fr.alfonse we really need Special
ReplyDeleteprayers for our kids nowadays. God bless you.
I've always thought that sex was highly over-rated!! The fact that the world's overly-charged sexual obsessions permeate into the lives of our young children is nauseating. Christ's words bring about satisfaction that is a hundred times more profound than any physical sensual act.
ReplyDeleteI briefly dated a man with a little boy in the second grade. The boy already had a girlfriend at such a young age. Oftentimes the boy was allowed to bring his "girlfriend" over for not only a play date but a sleepover. I was absolutely appalled! The guy I dated didn't seem to be at all bother by it. In fact, he admitted getting drunk one night with a couple of lady friends and partying the night away with the little boy and his girlfriend in the house. Lets just say this "good dad" was sending mixed messages to his young son. Thank goodness the relationship with this ex-boyfriend didn't work out!
-Jennifer