Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(When I was first asked to do reflections I was so excited. The excited for my chance to offer reflections, and because my wife, Bess, was asked to contribute as well. This is our first joint reflection, you will find her thoughts in italics.)
There are so many well known verses in these passages! Which is great, but we also have to be careful. Yes, it is awesome to find them in their original context. However, we can lose some of the value of the overall passages because of this, “Hey, I know that verse!” recognition.
That being said, I strangely latched onto the gospel's line, “After he placed his hands on them, he went away.” That's it, end of reading, end of story. I'm so curious about this ending. Christ prays over the children, tells His disciples what's what about who the Kingdom really belongs to, prays some more, and then just takes off. No indication where He went, no preaching to the parents, no “repent the kingdom is come,” nothing. I was seriously concerned about why the gospel doesn't record Him telling these parents how to be fantastic disciple parents (advice many parents would likely appreciate) or anything for that matter. Then Bess shared something that just made it click.
In the first reading, from Joshua, the tribes of Israel state their allegiance to the Lord and then recount all the wonderful acts of God. They have witnessed firsthand the miracles and great deeds preformed by Him. “Therefore,” they say, “we also will serve the Lord...” When I read this passage, I was immediately reminded of a time that I went to confession. The priest asked me a question to challenge why I am a Christian and why I love Jesus. He asked me, “What excites you about God?” I sat there silent. I knew his question was for me to take away and ponder for a while. As I thought, I was reminded of the ways God has felt so close to me. The times he has rescued me. The moments I laughed to myself out loud at the humor of our Father. The ways he is present to me in the sacraments and through others. I really appreciate the way that that Priest challenged me that afternoon. It is incredibly important that we know and recall the great things God has done for us so that our future relationship with Christ is one grounded in thanksgiving, so that we are not going into it asking, “Ok, I'm here, now what can you do for me?”
I think she nailed it! Christ in the gospel is providing that memory in the families that brought children to Him. He is giving them memories of God's love and generosity that will call them to choose Him later. Sure, the passage doesn't record miracles or anything happening right then and there, but if the prayer of a righteous person is powerful, how much more the prayer of Jesus! So there is certainly a blessing that went home with those families. By giving them that experience He is helping them turn to God, not in expectation but in thanksgiving and childlike dependence.
And what did He do when he went away? He eventually went to the Upper Room and instituted the Eucharist, our thanksgiving. Uniting us as family unites children and sustaining us as we depend on Him. For as the psalm tells us He is our portion and our cup.
And in our thanksgiving, let us always ask ourselves,“What things excite me about God? About Christ? What great things has he done in my life?” In the spirit of Mary, our mother, “what would be in my Magnificat?” Let us ponder that in our hearts.
-Spencer & Bess Haargadon