Daily Gospel Reflection for August 9, 2022

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Reflection by Meggie K. Daly

Today's Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Jesus says in today’s Gospel,

" . . . unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.”

As mothers, we know that even small children don’t always model Christian virtues. But here, Jesus invites us to reflect upon some core attributes of childhood that are required to experience heaven.

What are these attributes of childhood most aligned to membership in the kingdom of God? I believe that trust, joy, and wonder must be near the top of the list.

Trust: Small children naturally trust that their parents will care and provide for them. No one has to teach a child this; this expectation is inborn. Even if their parents fail them miserably, children still desire their parents first and foremost. As St. Faustina tells us in her diary, Jesus wants us to trust in Him fully.

Joy: When my oldest son spent a summer in Central America, he encountered extreme poverty. Yet even in circumstances that he considered dire, my son witnessed mind-boggling joy. He observed the laughter of children as they played with toys they fashioned from articles of garbage. He learned that material poverty does not exclude joy (any more than material riches guarantee joy).

Wonder: Who has not been captivated by the sparkling eyes of a child enthralled by something new? That sense of wonder, when translated to the Divine, becomes unbridled praise for the Creator. Without a sense of awe, we could not recognize heaven should it lay open to us.

The road to sainthood—entrance to the kingdom of heaven—is paved with trust, joy, and wonder. Today let’s reflect on how our God has woven into the very fabric of our humanity those traits which unlock the kingdom of heaven.

Ponder:

Do you know why Jesus asks us to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet each day?

Pray:

Lord, simplify the desires of my heart with childlike trust in You. Perfect my joy and preserve my sense of wonder.

Click to tweet:
Lord, simplify the desires of my heart! #dailygospel

Copyright 2022 Meggie K. Daly

Meggie K. Daly, a retired research scientist, is the author of For the Sake of His Sorrowful Passion: Praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet with Scripture and Art and Bead by Bead: The Scriptural Rosary. She is the mother of six adult children and six grandchildren.