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Then 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.” After
he placed his hands on them, he went away.
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The
song “Better Days” from the group Goo Goo Dolls, can be
considered to be a
Christmas song. They begin the song with
a question: “And you ask me what I want this year?” Their answer: “Just a chance that maybe
we’ll
find better days 'cause I don’t need boxes wrapped in strings,
and desire and
love empty things. So take these words
and sing out loud ‘cause everyone is forgiven now, 'cause
tonight’s the night
the world begins again.” They go on to
say what will happen as the world begins again—it will be a world
of faith and
trust and peace and concern for children, suggesting that we stop and
say a
prayer for them. They sing that one poor
child has saved this world, and that if everyone was loved, somehow we
would
stop all fighting.
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Children are
not
automatically saints. They have their
faults, something Jesus no doubt realized. But Jesus used the
image of a “child” as a pattern for the personality
of people in his Kingdom. Jesus wanted
the people of his Kingdom to remain honest and uncomplicated people,
people who
somehow transcend the affairs and problems of the world and realize
that the
most important things in life have nothing to do with the externals of
this
world. Children do not see the hustle
and bustle of the world in which they live, they don’t understand
the constant struggle
to make money, the desire for power, the love of pleasure. The
child will value the love of other people
and the care that must be given to people. Children will always
be thankful for even the smallest thing that is
given to them. Jesus therefore loved
children and wanted them around him.
The group Goo Goo Dolls captures that same sentiment in their song “Better Days.” In fact, one could easily identify Jesus in their song to be the one poor child who saved this world. The faith, trust, peace, love and concern that they sing of are all child-like qualities that Jesus loved and wanted his disciples to possess. The follower of Jesus Christ should be interested in what children can teach. The virtues that children possess are virtues that Christians must possess if they desire to be with Jesus in his Kingdom forever. |
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THOUGHT
What
is the most valuable virtue that children have that adults should
imitate?
PRAYER Good
and gracious God, you call us to be like children so that we can enter
your
Son’s Kingdom. Give us the grace to
understand the virtues of being “child-like,” and give us
the courage to make
those virtues part of our lives. Be with
us, we pray.
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |