Gospel Reflection 2019/2020

14^TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

5 July 2020

[Matthew 11: 25-30]

We often wonder what we can teach young children. But only few of us have ever wondered what young children can teach us.

In the Gospel reading of the 14^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus exclaimed,

“I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth,

for hiding these things from the learned and the clever

and revealing them to mere children.”

Here are three things young children can teach us about God and how to look at the world:

(1) Young children trust completely.

Young children embrace without reservation: God, people, and the world.

In John 6: 1-14, a young boy gave up his lunch when asked. And because of his child-like trust, he got to witness Jesus performing the miracle of the five-loaves-and-two fish: five thousand people were fed that day!

(2) Young children believe without boundaries.

Young children believe even when they do not understand everything. Complete understanding is not a requirement to follow Jesus; simple faith is.

In 1 Samuel 3: 1-19, the Lord called out to Samuel three times in the middle of the night, and Samuel, even though he did not understand, responded with a child-like faith, “Speak, Lord, Your servant is listening.”

(3) Young children are curious and not afraid.

Young children ask questions about everything and are not afraid of looking stupid.

We adults, on the other hand, think we know everything. We are so full of ourselves that we have stopped thinking, seeking, wondering, and discovering.

Jesus wants us to have a child-like faith, but not a childish faith:

(1) When we trust completely, God will transform our lives.

(2) When we believe without boundaries, God will open to us new horizon.

(3) When we seek God with all our hearts, God will reveal Himself to us.

Let our fervent prayer be:

“Lord Jesus Christ,

grant me the child-like faith:

always to desire You, to seek You, and to find You.”