Nourish the blessed fruit

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today call us to personal responsibility for our behaviour.

Model the Way

The Prophet Ezekiel clarifies that the sins of the father are not punished in the son, nor are the actions of the son, held against the father.

* [18:2] Parents…on edge: a proverb the people quoted to complain that they were being punished for their ancestors’ sins; cf. Jer 31:29.
* [18:6] Eat on the mountains: take part in meals after sacrifice at the high places.
* [18:25] The LORD’s way is not fair: this chapter rejects the idea that punishment is transferred from one generation to the next and emphasizes individual responsibility and accountability.

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus invites us to bless children and contemplate the ways in which they lead us to be better people.

* [19:13–15] This account is understood by some as intended to justify the practice of infant baptism. That interpretation is based principally on the command not to prevent the children from coming, since that word sometimes has a baptismal connotation in the New Testament; see Acts 8:36.

Kyle Lierk concludes that It is safe to say that Jesus not only enjoyed surrounding himself with the spirited energy of youth, but he directed the attention of those following him to look upon children as models to follow on our pilgrimage toward God.

Today, as I reflect on Jesus’ words and actions with “little ones,” I pray for deeper compassion and wisdom with how we treat children in our world.  Children who are suffering at the hands of governments along borders, the hands of militias in various countries and even the hands of our own Church.  Inspired by the words of Jesus, may we all listen more attentively to the mysteries of the Kingdom of God revealed through children - mysteries of curiosity and freedom and so much more.  Inspired by the actions of Jesus, may we all place hands of blessing on our children “for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Friar Jude Winkler notes that the attitude of connecting the sins of the father and son was challenged by Ezekiel to emphasize our personal responsibility for our actions toward others. Simple trust, as modeled by children, is an important component of our conversion. Friar Jude notes that our baggage and habits prevent us from seeing the goodness around us and within us.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reviews his week of meditations reminding that If anything is true, then it has always been true; and people who sincerely search will touch upon the same truth in every age and culture, while using different language, symbols, and rituals to point us in the same direction.

The ancient, diverse Hindu tradition led to the overwhelming consensus and conclusion that the Atman (True Self/Individual Consciousness) is the same as Brahman (God). This is summarized in the well-known Sanskrit phrase Tat Tvam Asi, loosely translated as “Thou art That.”

The truths of individual responsibility and the image of God that forms our True Self are visible in children and approachable in meditation.

References

(n.d.). Ezekiel, chapter 18 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved August 18, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/18
(n.d.). Matthew 19. Retrieved August 18, 2018, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/matthew19.htm
(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved August 18, 2018, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
(n.d.). Daily Meditations Archives - Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 18, 2018, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/