“Do not prevent them”

Coffee With God

13 August 2022

Reflection: Matthew 19: 13-15 Who doesn’t love children? Parents and family love watching them growing up. Being a parent is a vocation. But giving birth to a child does not make anyone a parent. A parent is one who accepts the task of integral formation of a child and raises him or her into physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual maturity. Today’s Gospel reminds us of our responsibility to take our children to God. How often do we hear secular-minded parents say, “Faith is a personal choice, and religious beliefs should not be imposed on children? Let the children choose their faith when they are old enough to do so.” But these generous parents, ironically, do not give that equal freedom to their kids when it comes to choosing the food they eat, the dress they wear, the schools they go to, and the activities they engage in. Because when it comes to these aspects, parents believe they know what is best for their children and wish to give them the best of everything. The Gospel talks about people bringing their children to Jesus so that he might bless them. A faulty understanding of secularism and personal freedom prevents today's parents from bringing their children to God. There are many Catholic parents who do not consider religious and faith formation as anything worthwhile. The parents would not mind if their children skipped the Sunday liturgy and catechism to attend tuition classes and co-curricular activities. While giving their children the best of everything, parents no longer feel the necessity of introducing God to their children. It is the sacred mission of the parents to teach their children not only to aspire to be successful people in the world but, even more, important to aspire for heaven! “Do Not Prevent Them” Jesus rebukes his disciples who tried to send the parents and their children away from approaching Jesus: It is a moving Gospel narrative. Our experience is that children in grave difficulty are often given extraordinary parents, ready and willing to make every sacrifice. Parents of children with special needs turn out to be extremely gifted special parents. But these parents should not be left alone! As disciples of Jesus today, we should not leave them aside; instead, we must accompany them in their struggles and offer them moments of shared joy so that they are not left alone with their daily routines. Pope Francis reminds us of the lesson about the angels of children: The Lord judges our life according to what the angels of children tell him because these angels “always behold the face of the Father who is in heaven” (cf. Mt 18:10). Let us always ask ourselves: what will the children’s guardian angels tell God about us?