GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

The disciples approached Jesus and said,

“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”

He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,

you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Whoever becomes humble like this child

is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,

for I say to you that their angels in heaven

always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

What is your opinion?

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,

will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills

and go in search of the stray?

And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it

than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.

In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father

that one of these little ones be lost.”

The gospel of the Lord.

Canonising Criteria

Among all the aspects of spiritual childhood that Jesus refers to when He exhorts us to be like children, docility is perhaps the key attitude. How much harm I do to myself when I canonise my own criteria, because this attitude closes me off from continuing to “understand” the Word as it applies to my particular life. Whoever has ears, let them hear, says the Lord.

Applied to married life:

Magda: I realise that I often argue with you because I lack docility, and I see that the difference between believers and non-believers is precisely that—docility.

Andrés: That’s true. We often tell the couples who come to the retreats to open their hearts, and yet I still have a heart as hard as flint.

Magda: It’s beautiful that the Lord helps us see this through today’s Word. That means He has planted the seed of docility in us, don’t you think?

Andrés: Then, Lord, let it be done to me according to Your word.

Magda: Amen.

Mother,

From the marriage between You and St. Joseph, we learn docility. Blessed example. Thank you, Mother.