Accept the Kingdom of God Like a Child
Piety
God gave to us discernment, tongues, and eyes, ears, and a mind for thinking. With knowledge and understanding he filled [us]; good and evil he showed [us]. He put the fear of him into [our] hearts to show [us] the grandeur of his works, that [we] might describe the wonders of his deeds and praise his holy name. He set before [us] knowledge, and allotted to [us] the law of life. An everlasting covenant he made with [us], and his commandments he revealed to [us]. (Sirach 17:6-12)
"Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." Then he embraced the children and blessed them, placing his hands on them. Mark 10:14B-16
Study
The team and candidates from a number of Cursillo weekends have endured with suffering many of my talks over the years and the menagerie of Beanie Babies that decorate the tables at Missionhurst or San Damiano. Among those stuffed animals are lambs, lions, roosters, turtles and several various frogs.
Did you ever try to kiss a frog? (Allow me: Noooooo! YUCK!)
Back when I was in CYO in the Diocese of Trenton (NJ) and dinosaurs walked the earth, was the first time I heard about the “parable of the frog.” Now, I am sure you are reading this and thinking, “I know the New Testament pretty well and Jesus never tells any such story.” Yes…and no.
All around us there are some pretty “froggy” people sitting isolated on their lily pads, feeling slow, and low, and ugly, and droopy, and down in the dumps. Maybe you feel that way too now and then.
In the church, we are ALL baptized priest, prophet, and king as I was reminded just two weeks ago when my great nephew Joseph Frederick was so blessed. That means that we are "the Priesthood of Believers." We are to be "priests" to one another, to minister to one another, to be really caring folks. We may not be ontologically changed to administer the Seven Sacraments but as the late Fr. Joe McCloskey reminds us, we can administer the Sacrament of the Present Moment.
So, down the great river of life, come froggy people, on drifting lily pads, feeling frightened and disgusted, and too froggy to budge.
Back to the fairy tale:
|
O
|
nce upon a time, there was a frog. But he really wasn't a frog. He was a prince, who looked and felt like a frog. A wicked witch had cast a spell upon him, and only the kiss of a beautiful maiden could save him. But cute chicks don't really enjoy kissing frogs, and there he sat, unkissed and unhappy. Miracles do happen now and then, however. One day, a beautiful lady picked him up and gave him a big smack. And there he was, a handsome prince. Now, you know the rest -- they lived happily ever after!
Our youth minister back in Trenton then asked: “What is the task of the church?” The answer: “To kiss frogs of course.” Now admittedly, Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Paul and Peter and the prophets never actually used that as the eleventh commandment. But Paul did write to the church in Galatia: “Bear one another's burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Serve one another through love. AKA: Kiss Frogs.
Is it possible, if we just looked around, we might find a prince or a princess in a froggy mood, who needed to be kissed?
Action
Sounds romantic, doesn't it? Hardly…but how does all that froggy stuff relate to the Good News? Remember what Jesus said today: “Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.”
Children accept the Gospel with and in total dependence and obedience. We need to be child-like and Fully Rely On God (F.R.O.G).
No comments:
Post a Comment