July 13, 2022 Reflection – Similar to a child!
Similar to a child… July 13, 2022 Dear Family of Mary! Have you noticed how Our Lady always addresses us in her messages in this way: “Dear Children”? Always! This is no mistake. I believe she knows that those of us who are responding to her call are indeed “children” at heart. There is something very important about being childlike. It affects the way we relate to Our Lady. She knows we will trust her and listen to her, in simplicity. Jesus spoke about this need to be like a child in today’s Gospel reading: At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” (Mt 11:25-27) Jesus was constantly trying to explain who He was and what He was about to the leaders of His people, the learned ones, the wise ones. We have many accounts of the arguments that took place between Jesus and the Pharisees and Scribes, etc. They just couldn’t get it. But the poor, the lame, the hungry all got it. They understood their need for God and that Jesus filled that need. Jesus, therefore, must have been from God. Our Lady calls to us:”Dear Children”, because she sees us as children. Even when we don’t know how weak and poor we are, she sees it. And she calls us continually to become her children, her little ones so that we can help her in these difficult days. Certainly there are so many others who do not listen to her call, and don’t even know she has come to save us. She needs us to help her reach them before it is too late. She told us: “Dear children! Today I invite you to decide every day for God. Little children, you speak much about God, but you witness little with your life. Therefore, little children, decide for conversion, that your life may be true before God, so that in the truth of your life you witness the beauty God gave you. Little children, I invite you again to decide for prayer because through prayer, you will be able to live the conversion. Each one of you shall become in the simplicity, similar to a child which is open to the love of the Father. Thank you for having responded to my call.” (July 25, 1996) “Each one of you shall become in the simplicity, similar to a child which is open to the love of the Father.” If we pray, if we convert, if we listen to Our Lady and to Jesus, we will become childlike. We will meet our Creator/God, and fall in love with Him. We will understand that we are His little ones. And in that Father/child relationship, we will have such joy, truth, peace, and wisdom! That is how we will be able to help others to find God! As Jesus said: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.” Who would not want to be similar to a child which is open to the love of the Father? In Jesus, Mary and Joseph! Cathy Nolan (c)Mary TV 2022