Be Like Children

Our Lord tells us that the Kingdom belongs to the children! Each time I hear this Gospel I always remind myself that Jesus asks us to be “like” the children, to be “childlike” and not “childish!” So what is Jesus saying? Let’s think about how children live their lives.

Children (but unfortunately not all) usually do not worry about paying bills, putting food on the table, or worry about shelter or clothing. All these things mom and dad or grandmom and grandpop or aunt and uncle or other adult take care of. The children are provided for and they know that they can count on them. They don’t have to worry that upon getting off the school bus there won’t be a home to go to. They know the home will be there. They know mom and dad will be there.

Jesus challenges us to be like children in knowing that He and the Father will be there for us. We are asked to trust in the Father and His love and providential care for us. “God will provide” is not an empty phrase that we say when things are uncertain. God truly does provide. There is no need to worry about the things we cannot control. God provides. May we ask the Father for a deeper trust in Him and His love for us, knowing that all are in His hands and that He will never leave us hanging.

“Lord, Save Me!”

“But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened; and, beginning to sink, he cried out,

‘Lord, save me!’”

Matthew 14:30

Memorial of St. John Vianney

We are in the midst of hurricane season. Rain is pouring, winds are gusting, and property is being damaged. For many, power will be lost. For some, lives might be lost. There will be many storms in our lives. Storms are natural parts of life. Some will be more violent than others. Some will cause more damage than others. But storms are not everlasting. All storms eventually come to an end. Even though there may not be anything we can do to prevent the storms from coming or magically make them go away, we can learn to do the proper precautions and proactively brave the storms.

There will be times in our lives that make hope seem distant or joy and peace seem nonexistent. But we must hold on to them – hope, joy, and peace are everlasting!  They come from God. When Jesus asked Peter to go to Him on the waters, Peter did but he doubted and grew scared and so he began to drown. In his distress, he called out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” Even though he doubted and was scared, his faith and hope in the Lord prevailed and cried out to the Lord to save him. It is okay to be scared and even doubt, but we should never lose faith in the One who says to us, “Come.” It is God who calls us, and He will never let us drown if we cry out to Him.

Being Shaped

“Can I not do to you, house of Israel,

as this potter has done? says the LORD.

Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,

so are you in my hand, house of Israel.”

Jeremiah 18:6

Memorial of St. Peter Chrysologus

There is nothing that God cannot do. He is the Master Artist, the Potter, Our Creator and Maker. We need to want to be clay. We need to want to be shaped. The Potter has a plan for His work.  God has a plan for us. A plan only for good. Do we believe it? Do we believe Him?

When life takes us to places we’d rather not go, will we trust that we are in God’s hands?  We will trust that God remains with us? Do we believe that those difficult moments of our lives will somehow make us stronger? God will give meaning to those struggles and challenges, those pains and sufferings. God will turn those struggles and challenges into means by which we may receive great grace. But we must be willing to let Him shape us. We are God’s masterpieces, each perfect and unique, each special and irreplaceable. You are special in the eyes of God. Your life, your strengths, your weaknesses – all these are good because through all that God will bring about good. Will you let the Potter mold you into the unique work that He has planned from all eternity?