Christian Art | Jesus And A Child | Image by Dall-E
Matthew 18: 1-5 | King James Audio Bible | KJV | King James Version
‘Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.’ Matthew 18:3 (KJV)
We are asked to become as a child to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Why Should We Become Like Children To Enter Heaven?
- Trust and Dependence: Children naturally trust their parents and depend on them for their needs. They have a simple faith and believe that their parents will take care of them. Similarly, in our relationship with God, we need to have childlike trust and dependence, fully relying on Him for our spiritual needs.
- Humility: Children are humble and have a sense of innocence. They don’t carry the burden of pride, ego, or self-righteousness. In the same way, we need to approach God with humility, recognizing our need for His guidance and forgiveness. We must be willing to admit our weaknesses and shortcomings, seeking His mercy and grace.
- Curiosity and Wonder: Children have a natural curiosity and a sense of wonder about the world around them. They ask questions and eagerly seek to understand. As followers of Christ, we should maintain a childlike curiosity and a desire to explore and deepen our understanding of God and His kingdom.
- Joy and Authenticity: Children often exhibit pure joy and authenticity in their expressions and interactions. They have a natural ability to embrace the present moment and find joy in simple things. Similarly, as we enter the Kingdom of heaven, we are invited to experience the joy of God’s love and live authentically, without pretence or masks.
- Teachability: Children are open to learning and have a teachable spirit. They are receptive to instruction and guidance. Likewise, we must approach God’s Word with a teachable heart, willing to learn, grow, and be transformed by His truth.
So Should We Pray
Dear Jesus,
I’m here again, wanting to make my faith stronger. Sometimes I have questions and things that make me unsure. But I want to feel close to you like before.
Please help me not be unsure anymore. Take away the things that confuse me. Give me bravery to ask the questions that make my faith wobble and help me find answers that make me believe in you again.
Please give me friends who love you, too. Friends who can be there for me, support me, and make me feel better. Let’s all love each other and help each other know you more.
When I read the Bible, help me understand it easily. Show me new things that will make me excited about you again. Help me find books and stories that teach me more about you and how much you love me.
When I talk to you and sit quietly, help me feel that you’re right there with me. Calm my mind and heart so I can feel peaceful. Speak to me in a gentle voice that makes me feel safe and reminds me that you always love me.
I’m sorry for thinking I’m not good enough. Help me remember that you are strong and can help me with anything. I trust you, and I know you’ll always be there for me.
As I try my best to be like you, help me be kind and helpful to others. Let me be a light and bring happiness to people around me. I want to show them how you’ve changed me.
I give you all my doubts and worries. Please make my faith stronger, give me hope again, and help me trust you more. Thank you for being with me on this journey.
Amen.
Why Might We Resist Becoming Like A Child?
- Pride: Pride can prevent us from embracing childlike qualities. We may struggle with the idea of surrendering our perceived wisdom, knowledge, and self-sufficiency. Our pride can blind us to the simplicity and humility required to approach God with childlike faith.
- Independence: As adults, we often value independence and self-reliance. We may resist becoming like a child because it can be perceived as regressing or giving up our autonomy. The idea of relying on someone else, especially God, can be challenging for those who prioritize self-sufficiency.
- Scepticism: With age and experience, scepticism can develop. We may become more analytical and sceptical of things that cannot be easily explained or understood. This scepticism can hinder our ability to approach matters of faith with childlike trust and openness.
- Worldly Influences: The world around us can shape our mindset and priorities. The pursuit of success, wealth, and societal expectations may overshadow the simplicity and innocence of childlike faith. The pressures and distractions of the world can make it difficult for us to embrace childlike qualities.
- Hurt and Disappointments: Life experiences, disappointments, and pain can harden our hearts and make us wary of vulnerability. We may resist becoming like a child because we fear being hurt or let down again. Past wounds can make it challenging to trust and open ourselves to God fully.
Psalm 62 expresses faith and trust in God, highlighting the unwavering relationship between the psalmist and God. The psalm is a testament to enduring belief in God’s unchanging character and His role as ultimate source of salvation and refuge [ … ]
The Galileans Herod has had killed have not behaved any better or worse than other people; they were not worse sinners than whose to whom Jesus addresses his words. God does not always punish sinners in this life. Accidents and acts of brutality may constitute no particular moral judgement. We are sinners. We stand in need of God’s mercy. We must repent [ … ]
Christian Art | Our Lord Jesus On The Cross | God The Father | God The Son Office Of Readings | Advent December 23rd | A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Hippolytus Against The Heresy Of Noetus | The Hidden Sacrament Is Revealed ‘The hidden sacrament is revealed.’ In this reading, Saint Hippolytus writes against the Noetic heresy, which denied the real distinction between the Father and the Son by treating them as the same person acting under different names. The purpose of Saint Hippolytus is to defend the Church’s confession of one God who is not solitary, but who exists with his Word and Spirit. Hippolytus begins by setting a principle: knowledge of God comes from the Holy Scriptures, not from speculation or private reasoning. Faith is not shaped by human preference but by what God has chosen to reveal. The Father determines how He is believed, the Son how He is glorified, and the Spirit how He is received. This establishes Scripture as the rule of faith and guards against theological invention. Hippolytus then affirms that God existed alone before creation, with nothing co-eternal alongside Him. At the same time, God was not without reason, wisdom, or power. Hippolytus insists that plurality within God does not compromise divine unity. God contains within himself Word, wisdom, and counsel. Creation begins when God wills and manifests His Word. The Word is not created from nothing but proceeds from God and acts as the agent of creation. The Word is first invisible to the created world, though known to God. When God chooses, He makes the Word visible, described as ‘Light of Light’. This language safeguards both distinction and unity: the Word comes from God and reveals God, without being separate from Him. The manifestation of the Word is ordered towards salvation, so that the world may see and be saved. Hippolytus identifies this Word clearly with the Son of God. Through him all things were made, and he alone comes forth from the Father. The Law and the prophets belong to the same saving plan. God speaks through them by the Holy Spirit, so that they proclaim not their own ideas but the Father’s will. Revelation is therefore coherent: creation, prophecy, and incarnation belong to one divine purpose. Hippolytus appeals to the Gospel of John to show continuity between prophecy and fulfilment. The Word spoken of by the prophets is the Word made flesh. Though the world was made through him, it failed to recognise him. This failure does not negate God’s plan but reveals the depth of the mystery now disclosed. A Reading From The Treatise Of Saint Hippolytus Against The Heresy Of Noetus | The Hidden Sacrament Is Revealed There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures and from no other source. Whatever things the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatever they teach, let us learn it; and as the Father wills our belief to be, let us believe; and as he wills the Son to be glorified, let us glorify him; and as he wills the Holy Spirit to be bestowed, let us receive him. Not according to our own will, nor according to our own mind, nor yet storming by force the things which are given by God, but even as he has chosen to teach them by the Holy Scriptures, so let us discern them. God, subsisting alone, and having nothing coeval with himself, chose to create the world. And conceiving the world in mind, and willing and uttering the Word, he made it; and at once it appeared, formed it in the way he desired. For us it is sufficient simply to know that nothing was coeval with God. Outside him there was nothing; but he, while existing alone, yet existed in plurality. For he did not lack reason, or wisdom, or power, or counsel. All things were in him, and he was the All. At a time and in a manner chosen by him he made his Word manifest, and through his Word he made all things. He bears this Word in himself, as yet invisible to the created world. He makes him visible, uttering the voice first, and begetting him as Light of Light. He presents him to the world as its Lord; and whereas the Word was visible formerly to God alone, and invisible to the world which is made, God makes the Word visible in order that the world might see him and be able to be saved. This is the mind which came forth into the world and was manifested as the Son of God. All things came into being through him, and he alone comes from the Father. He gave us the Law and the prophets; and in giving them, he made them speak by the Holy Ghost, in order that, receiving the inspiration of the Father’s power, they might declare the Father’s counsel and will. Thus, then, was the Word made manifest, even as the blessed John says. For he sums up the things that were said by the prophets, and shows that this is the Word, by whom all things were made. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things were made by him, and without him nothing was made. And later, The world was made by him, and the world did not know him; he came to his own, and his own did not receive him. Christian Prayer With Jesus Lord God,You are one, and from You come the Word and the Spirit.You have chosen to make Yourself known, not by human effort,but by what You have revealed in the scriptures. You spoke Your Word, and all things were made.You made that Word visible, so that the world might see and be saved.Grant that we may receive what You give,believe what You teach,and worship You as You have shown Yourself to be. Keep us […]
