"And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them; and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein." ... Mark 10:13-16

The disciples had sought to prevent the people from bringing the little children to Jesus for a blessing, but He bid the children come, proclaiming that only those who humble themselves as little children shall receive the kingdom of heaven. In this and in related passages, Jesus makes it clear that he refers to the conversion of the believer from the old self to the new, from guilt to innocence, through a process of spiritual rebirth. He also seems be making a point about the qualitative differences between adults and the little children: He says that the children ARE the kingdom, and that we only enter if we become one of them.

Many adults are embedded deeply into the earth, into the forms and substances of the material world, and are inclined to become too attached to the past: they plod along slowly or simply stay cemented in place, their present thinking, feeling and activity, as well as their future plans, informed by what has gone before. They approach the world primarily through judgment and analytical thinking; making assumptions and organizing people and events into categories, a process that by its very nature depends on past experience. They tend to move in straight lines according to preconceived, well-formed patterns.

By contrast, little children, as long as they are allowed to grow naturally, are more like the wind, free of confinement or fear. For them, the past is quickly forgotten and the future still a mystery - they live simply and joyfully in the present, without airs or pretension, without even a clear sense of separation between themselves and the world around them, for to the very young, the universe is still spiritual and every part alive. They are trusting by nature, open to accepting anyone who enters their sphere and receiving whatever life offers, without prejudice or presumption. They behave spontaneously, primarily through feeling, imagination, and intuition - they dance!

Though we cannot physically return to this same state of childhood innocence, we can look to the light that streams from the eyes of children into our darkness, and change our attitudes and focus. For we cannot attain the kingdom through polished theories, desirable affiliations, admirable accomplishments, and certainly not burdened with possessions, though the pursuit of these often consumes a major part of our time and energy. Rather, we must humble ourselves, strip away all these external layers we have so painstakingly built up, and set aside the ego's agenda, so that we may awaken to our true heart song and enter the kingdom through the soul and the spirit, as little children do

Gather us in from our separate paths and join us together in forgiveness and trust. Grant us the wisdom to relinquish our investment in this world of illusions and recognize the light of Thy truth, which shall set us free. Give us the courage to surrender our earthly attachments and live more fully according to the voice within our hearts, informed by Thy will and within Thy loving embrace, which encompasses all. For Thine is the kingdom and Thine the way. Amen.

Contributed by Diane S.
Published Sunday September 12, 2004
Week 42 of Liturgical Year C