Matthew 19:13-15

Joshua 24:14-29

Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 11

Matthew 19:13-15

Children were brought to Jesus

that he might lay his hands on them and pray.

The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said,

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them;

for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

After he placed his hands on them, he went away.

Opening Prayer: Lord God, help me to understand the deep causes of my sinful choices. Enlighten my mind to see when and how I choose myself, when and how I am tempted to pride, and how the disordered love of pleasure and material things destroys my relationships with you and with others.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Children in the Kingdom: As Jesus travels with his disciples on the way to Jerusalem, he teaches them some important lessons about life in the Church. Much of the discussion has been about leadership and service in the Church. The disciples wanted to know who would be the greatest in the Kingdom, and Jesus responded by talking about servant leadership. Today, Jesus speaks about humility. While some of Jesus’ disciples tried to prevent children from being brought to Jesus so that he might bless them and pray over them, Jesus corrected them and took the opportunity to teach them about humility and simplicity of heart in the kingdom.

2. Renewal of the Covenant at Shechem: In Joshua 8, we read about the ratification of the Covenant of Deuteronomy on Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim. The town of Shechem was situated between these two mountains. It was the place where YHWH first promised to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants and where Abraham first raised an altar in honor of the Lord. In Joshua 24, we read about the renewal of this covenant some 30 years later. “The event is a summons for the next generation, destined to outlive Joshua, to renounce other gods and to pledge their exclusive allegiance to Yahweh (24:23). Renewal ceremonies were a common feature of ancient Near Eastern treaty covenants” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 369). Joshua recounted the early history of Israel, from the call of Abraham to the conquest of Canaan (Joshua 24:3-11). When Israel conquered Canaan, this fulfilled the promise of Moses in Deuteronomy 6:10-11. If the people choose to be faithful to the covenant, they will enjoy the blessing of life and prosperity. If, however, they choose to break the covenant, they will trigger the curses of adversity and death. The same choice is presented to us in the New Covenant.

3. The Path of Humility: In the Gospel, Jesus continues to teach about the way of humility that leads to life. Earlier, he said to the people: “Unless you turn and become like children, you shall not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4). The Kingdom belongs to the poor in spirit, to those who mourn, to the meek, to those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, to the merciful, to the pure in heart, to the peacemakers, to those who are persecuted for the sake of justice. The humble are those who can shoulder their cross with Christ. The simple are those who can love without reserve. The childlike are those who allow themselves to be loved and guided by God.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me the path of humble repentance and childlike simplicity. Guide me by the hand as I walk along this path with you. I want to learn from you, imitate you, and share in your life.

Living the Word of God: What habitual sins do I struggle to overcome? What are my dominant tendencies? How do they influence the way I am tempted? What successes, empowered by God’s merciful grace, in overcoming sin have I had? Have I thanked God for these victories, and am I strategically plotting out how to overcome sin and temptation in the future?