Heaven Is For All

𝐀𝐔𝐆. 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄

𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐉𝐎𝐒 𝟐𝟒:𝟏𝟒-𝟐𝟗

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐒𝐀 𝟏𝟔:𝟏-𝟐, 𝟓, 𝟕-𝟖 , 𝟏𝟏 “𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐎’ 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓 𝟏𝟗:𝟏𝟑-𝟏𝟓

𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆: “..𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈.” (𝒗.14) 

           In recent days we read and heard of news reports of child bullying and teen violence. There even was a report about a student who physically abused his teacher who gave him a failing grade. Why is this happening? Is this how we educate our children such that they have lost all form of respect for everyone especially towards elders?

           It is said that how we are reared from childhood has a bearing on the set of values that we embrace as we grow up. I am not saying I’m good and that I am better than anyone else. I guess the way I was raised had a bearing on my growing up years even during those times when I lost my way.

          At an early age, my mother taught and guided me into developing a disciplined prayer routine which became part of me till now. And here in today’s Gospel in 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝟏𝟗:𝟏𝟑-𝟏𝟓 we see mothers bringing their children to Jesus to be touched by Him. How children end up can be seen how they were raised up by their parents. Problems crop up when you leave God out of the equation.

         This is probably one of the most poignant passages in the Scriptures because it shows the kind of compassion Jesus has for the people regardless of social standing and or to a certain extent their ages as with the little children in the Gospel.

         The arrogance his disciples displayed on those who brought their children along should by no means be interpreted as their true nature for they were probably just being protective of Jesus. In the same manner, we probably are irritated at times when children become unruly while the Mass is going on.

         Tired from their constant traveling from one town to another, the disciples are most concerned with the comfort of Jesus as well as his security for there is by now a growing opposition to Jesus whose teachings do not sit well with the Pharisees.

         But on this occasion, there were those who brought their children along and though they do not yet believe in Jesus as the Son of God they nevertheless are drawn by the news of the healing miracles that he performed, and this is probably the reason they wanted Jesus to touch their children.

         We also heard Jesus earlier in 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭 𝟏𝟖:𝟑-𝟒 when he cautioned his disciples to clothe themselves with the humility of a child whom Jesus called as the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

         It is in this context that Jesus motioned to his disciples to bring the children to him and not hinder them “𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒆.” (𝒗.14) And he laid hands on the children and Matthew wrote that he went away from there.

         Again, there is a tendency we could be misled when reading passages referring to children such as this one because during the time of Jesus, even the adults who are under training and or are undergoing discipleship are generally regarded as children. This is also what we are especially when we just stepped out of the Life in the Spirit Seminar.

         Having been baptized in the Spirit we become born again as we put to death our old nature and experience a spiritual rebirth (𝟐 𝐂𝐨𝐫 𝟓:𝟏𝟕) and this spiritual experience can be likened to the time when we were like little children taking our first step into the world.  

       In life there comes a time when we miss our childhood days. You know you're getting older when you no longer feel any excitement when you go to places you used to be in awe before. But children are always in awe of things, places and we miss this kind of feeling. In those days, children are classified as such and or as the disciples who are under the tutelage of Rabbis.

       Today it would help us who are still growing up in faith to reacquire the attitude of a child who is in awe as we come into the presence of Jesus. To be in awe is to admire and be in constant adoration of Jesus who was sent, suffered and died and rose again on the third day that we may have life, life to the full.

       We must go through life and be filled with wonder as the gifts of the Holy Spirit become operable in our lives that there is not a moment in our lives that we don't get excited as Jesus touches us and leads in our journey of faith.

       Being patted on the back by your boss for a job well done elevates your adrenaline and you feel a sense of pride. We see people getting healed when they are touched and prayed over. Touch is an excellent form of communicating love, understanding and compassion.

       This is what happens when we are touched by Jesus. His touch evokes the love of the Holy Trinity, and it heals us of our physical and spiritual indignities. His touch leaves us in awe of His power and might that break down our Jericho walls (sin) which prevent us from getting soaked by God's grace. Indeed, it is His touch that brings wholeness and meaning to our life.

         On the other hand, there may be some instances when we acted like his disciples when we prevented others, especially those who are new in the faith to experience what we have experienced in the renewal. There may be times when our selfish nature come into play, and we keep the light we have received to ourselves refusing to either share it with others or ignoring the needs of others to also receive the light that comes from Jesus.

         And this holds true especially for those in leadership positions. What we should remember is that we cannot be like the disciples who wanted to form a cordon sanitaire around Jesus to keep the people from coming to him for this would run counter to the purpose for which we have all been called – and that is to evangelize.

         This is why we must guard and examine ourselves every now and then so that we will not fall prey to being so zealous as to drive people out of their ministries and apostolates instead of encouraging them to serve believing we can do it alone. The fact is that a community only becomes such when all its members are moving because Christians are supposed to be a people who are on the move.

        Thus, it can well be said that a community without a mission is dead. But mission should not mean projects and programs. To proclaim the Word of God is first and foremost the mission of every disciple.

         It is also good to bear in mind that we are not even in a position to decide who should and should not come to the Church and or to any spiritual community for that matter because Jesus welcomes everyone - men, women and children alike and Jesus in the parable of the vineyard owner has made it clear that while judgment will come, such judgment will be handed down by God and not by mortals.

         And Jesus has shown that his heart is closer to children because of the simplicity by which they go about their ways and the tragedy of life is that as people grow older they sometimes grow farther away from God and Jesus’ compassion for children should serve as a reminder for each one of us to remain like little children for that is actually what we are – the pilgrim church who are still on our journey of faith. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 – 𝘈𝘶𝘨. 16, 2025)