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Master·evangeli.net

Today's Gospel + short theological explanation

Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
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Gospel text (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..."

"Children" before God (divine filiation)

EDITORIAL TEAM evangeli.net (based on texts by Benedict XVI) (Città del Vaticano, Vatican)

Today, we wonder what it means "to be children", which Jesus considers such an absolute necessity. According to Jesus Christ, to be children means learning to say "Father". Man wants to be God and, giving this expression its correct sense, he should eventually reach out to God. To understand the huge force this word implies, it is necessary to read it with the perception of Jesus, the Son.

But when man chooses to be like God, while emancipating himself from God and rebelling against his status as a creature, putting himself above everything else and focusing on himself —as in the eternal dialogue with the serpent in the earthly Paradise— then he just ends up with nothing, because he puts himself against his same truth, which means referring everything to God.

—What did you learn, O Jesus, from your mother? The "Yes". Not any kind of "Yes", but the word "Yes", which is always tirelessly moving. Whatever you want, my God: I am the Lord’s servant; may your Word to me be fulfilled".