The gospel for Saturday of the seventh week in Ordinary Time is taken from Mark 10, 13, 16. People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he became indignant and said to them, let the children come to me. Do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen. I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.

Then he embraced the children, blessed them, placing his hands on them. Throughout this week we’ve seen Jesus so often disturbed or not happy with where the disciples are. And here he becomes indignant that they would think that Jesus does not want to be with the children. But Jesus uses children in the most interesting way, by saying, unless you become like this, you can’t be in my kingdom. And I think so often of the things that are childlike. Trust, imagination.

They love stories, they love things that are beautiful, and they seem free of ego and free of all that Jesus is worried about in his power over people. It’s not a disposition of a child, but of an adult who misunderstands the kingdom. I ask you to take a few moments to reflect upon the images of these stories, and then I will close with a prayer. Foreign the Closing Prayer Father, we pray for the gift of being childlike. Like everything that you have asked us to be, it comes through not just our deciding to do it, but through your grace to enable us to accomplish it. Make us like children, keep us trusting, open to mystery.

And we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.