Childlike faith in Jesus-Trust

HOMILY WEEKDAY 07 – 06

Childlike Faith in Jesus

(Sir 17:1-15; Ps 103; Mk 10:13-16)

[Adapted from The Word Among Us]

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A mother, not wanting to be bothered with a salesman coming to the house, instructed her 5-year old to answer the door and tell him she was not home. The boy obediently opened the door and said, “My mom told me to tell you that she is not here!”

The gospel today invites us to have a childlike faith in Jesus placing us within the kingdom of God.

We know that children are not picture-perfect angels. Some run around and knock things over, others ask embarrassing questions or say embarrassing things, and some can’t help but interrupt their parent’s conversations. The kids who gathered around Jesus were no different. There was probably a mix of all kinds of personalities and dispositions – some were rambunctious, some were shy, some were inquisitive, and some were demanding. But no matter how different they were, each of them was attracted to Jesus. And he welcomed them all! In a culture where children were taught to keep out of the way, Jesus wanted them to come closer to that he could bless them. “Let the little children come to me – do not stop them,” he said.

Jesus looks at us in the same way. He doesn’t’ mind if we don’t have it all together. He doesn’t expect us to act perfectly around him. He just wants to be close to us. He knows that each of us deeply desires, and needs, to be loved and welcomed, to belong and to be valued. And that’s exactly what Jesus wants to tell us. It doesn’t matter whether or not we feel worthy. It doesn’t matter whether or not we fit some ideal of what a friend of Jesus looks like. He just wants us to come to him as we are.

Imagine all the different kinds of children who were brought to Jesus. Think about the love and patience he must have had. Think about his overflowing joy as he interacted with them, both as a group and individually. Think about how he loved and blessed each one in a special way,

Now picture yourself as one of those children. Imagine he’s looking at you as all the others are milling around. He says, “Don’t be afraid,” and holds out his hand. He already knows us inside and out, and he welcomes us. Jesus sees the goodness that he has placed inside us and he knows the kind of person we can become. As Sr. Teresita Kambeitz OSU once wrote, “God accepts us as we are, and believes in whom we can become.” Our rough edges will be smoothed over. Can we see and hear Jesus inviting us? Let us respond and run to him.

It strikes me that one of the best ways we can be childlike and trusting in Jesus is to take time to enter into contemplative prayer. Pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church in California, speaking at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, shared how he delighted to just watch their little baby sleeping in a crib. He loved just watching the child breathing – the little chest moving up and down, and how he had a part in creating this child. All the little child was doing was sleeping and breathing – yet he delighted in that little child.

That is an image of contemplative prayer – we are not doing anything – just believing we are in God’s presence, soaking up God’s love, and trusting the less we do, the more God is able to powerfully move and act within us, healing us wherever we need healing, and filling us with that pure unconditional love Jesus showed us.

A fellow Oblate, Ron Rolheiser, gave a homily at that same congress, in which he mentioned that a child is powerless to help itself and does not live under the illusion that it can. Like the poor, they know they need help. The Nones (people who claim no religious affiliation) are between 18 – 40, feel they are invincible, and that they do not need God. It is only those who know they need God’s help who will enter the kingdom. Ron gave the example of one man lived to be 90 and offered this reason why he lived so long. He was given 10 extra years because he was so stubborn and self-sufficient. He could never ask for help, which he was able to do in his final years because of aging and inability – so God made sure he was ready and childlike before calling him home.

St. Therese of Lisieux serves as a model for us of childlike trust with her simple faith in God expressed through her “Little Way.” Aware of her limitations as a cloistered nun in terms of doing great missionary works, she strove instead to do little things with great love, allowed love to place her at the heart of a missionary Church, and inspired thousands to follow her example.

The Eucharist is an excellent opportunity for us to practice childlike faith and trust. We believe we are being nourished by the very Word of God, and that these humble gifts of bread and wine, representing us, will be transformed into the body and blood of Jesus. Even more importantly, when we celebrate with childlike faith, we in turn are transformed into the Body of Christ, sent out to be bread for the world.

May our celebration fill us with that childlike faith Jesus so wants us to have, and empower us to live within the kingdom of God with childlike joy and enthusiasm.