“Depending and trusting in the Lord, with a childlike faith, so that the Lord may rejoice in us and He – the Wisdom – may reveal Himself more and more to us!”
(Based on Exod 3:1-6, 9-12 and Mt 11:25-27 – Wednesday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1 – Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel)
A little girl child was to undergo a risky surgery.
She was placed upon the table and the surgeon was about to render her a dose of anaesthesia.
“Before we can make you well, dear, we must put you to sleep,” said the surgeon to the li’l girl.
With a cute smile, she said sweetly, “Oh, if you are going to put me to sleep, I must say my prayers first.”
So she got on her knees and said the child’s prayer.
“Now I can go to sleep,” said the sweet child.
The surgeon, later, testified that this action of the child moved his heart greatly…
… and he himself, prayed, that night, for the first time, in thirty years!
The power of the little child to influence was amazing…
… even on a person who was much older to her!
There is great sincerity and openness in the actions of little children.
There is immense authenticity and truthfulness in the deeds of little ones.
It is this childlike faith and simplicity that finds an expression of appreciation from our Blessed Lord in today’s Gospel.
Jesus says, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes” (Mt 11:25)
What makes the Divine Wisdom to hide from the wise and reveal to the childlike instead?
We could consider a couple of reasons….
- The wise depend on their own strength; the childlike have a sense of dependency
One of the qualities or rather a condition of little children is their “helplessness!”
Little children are helpless…
… to be taking care of even their basic needs
… to be able to meet their basic emotions
They therefore have a sense of dependency!
The wise have over-confidence in themselves; the childlike trust on others
- Another quality of children is their basic sense of “trust”
They tend to easily trust the others…
… in meeting their needs and in having what they desire
… in being protected and being taken care safely
These two great qualities of the childlike are what helps the Divine wisdom to be revealed to them:
A sense of dependency: Depending on God, the Father in every moment of life
A sense of trust: Trusting in the Lord for every need and believing in His providence
The Gospel of the Day makes us to examine our own lives and check the level of childlike qualities that we possess…
Do I possess a sense of Dependency on the Lord…
… or is my reliance only on my own self-worth and abilities?
Do I possess a sense of Trust in the Lord…
… or do I fall into constant anxieties and apprehensions?
Let us depend and trust in the Lord, with a childlike faith, so that the Lord may rejoice in us and He – the Wisdom – may reveal Himself more and more to us!
Today is the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
The feast was assigned to 16 July, because on that date in 1251, according to Carmelite traditions…
… the scapular was given by the Blessed Virgin to St. Simon Stock.
The Scapular (from Latin scapulae, “shoulders”) – is both a sign of our belonging to Mary and pledge of her maternal protection in this life and the next.
It is also a sign of couple of elements:
- A consecration to and trust in Mary
- A declaration to imitate Our Lady’s virtues, especially Her humility, chastity, and prayerfulness.
The scapular is not…
… a magical charm to protect someone.
… an automatic guarantee of salvation.
… an excuse for not living up to the demands of the Christian life
It is instead, a sign…
… to follow Jesus, like Mary
… to be open to God and to His Will.
… to be guided by Faith, Hope and Love.
… to pray at all times
… to discover and be aware of the Presence of God in all that happens around us.
As St. John of the Cross says:
“He who loves, is not ashamed before men of what he does for God…
… neither does he hide it through shame, though the whole world should condemn it.”
Let us seek the intercession of our Blessed Mother of Mt Carmel, in our struggles and hardships of life…
… and may the Sacramental of the Scapular be a sign for us to publicly declare our Love for Christ and our Readiness to “take up the Cross!”
Let us hold Mamma’s hands…
… as She Inspires, Helps, Challenges and Intercedes for us!
Happy Feast of our Blessed Mother of Carmel!
God Bless! Live Jesus!
📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fifth Commandment – Respect for human life
Recourse to the death penalty on the part of legitimate authority…
… following a fair trial, was long considered an appropriate response to the gravity of certain crimes… and an acceptable, albeit extreme, means of safeguarding the common good. (CCC # 2267)
Reflection Capsules 