Come Holy Spirit – Give Us a Child’s Heart

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’  He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” Matthew 18:1-5

I’m the original Greek of the New Testament passage, the word ‘children’ implies ‘little children’ – the youngest ones.

St. Therese, the Little Flower, who taught the Church the true meaning of what Jesus intended by this childhood – spiritual childhood. We are not to be childISH – naive, sentimental, imprudent and headstrong. We are to be childLIKE – full of trust in our Father, trust in God’s merciful love and wonder at His work of redemption and creation.

The little child is completely dependent on his parent. The little child lives with perfect serenity and trust within that parent’s protection.

For St. Therese, the word ‘little’ is key to everything. God would have us little children fully dependent and trusting in Him. Absolutely dependent upon the Father. When we come to be the littlest of children, God enables us to move in a true sense of peace.

When the little soul fully trusts God as a Father, what does the soul have to worry about or fear? Papa God will take care of everything. Monsters under the bed cower in fear to the courage of the Father. Worry of the daily bread goes away, for He feeds the soul.

Do you live your day as the littlest of children?