Gospel Notes 20 | Feast of the Santo Niño

PIT SENYOR, BATANG POON! “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.” - Mark 10: 14-15 Today’s feast of the Sto. Niño is somehow an extension of Christmas, for we continue to give praise to the Child Jesus, the God who dwelt among us. This feast is not just a celebration but an opportunity to contemplate on the meaning of this particular chapter in the life of our Lord and in our very own lives. For most of us, our familiarity with Jesus is more leaning towards the mature one, not the child that most often we only remember on Christmas day. This probably springs from the fact that even in the gospels, only few accounts were written about the childhood of Jesus. Indeed we are so familiar with the grown up Jesus but have we ever really looked at the child Jesus and tried to truly understand what our faith in the child Jesus is all about? The feast of the Sto. Niño is an invitation for us to understand the foundation of our faith in the totality of the life of Jesus, one that says that just like Him, we are also children of Our Father. Our gospel for today puts forward the wisdom of being a child that is worthy of the Father’s kingdom. The Kingdom of God will only make sense if we nurture a childlike disposition in our lives. Thus, the image of the Child Jesus exemplifies an attitude that we must continue to emulate. Why does the Kingdom of heaven belong to the children as Jesus articulated in our gospel? Why do we have to be like them if we want to be worthy citizens of God’s kingdom? By becoming like little children, we allow our lives to be nurtured by our attitude of dependence, trust and total surrender to Our Father. A childlike attitude easily amplifies faith more than fear, love more than indifference, authenticity more than hypocrisy. Sa murang isipan at bukas na kalooban ng isang bata laging nagsisimula ang paglago ng pagkilala sa Diyos sa ating buhay. Kung hindi natin nasumpungan ang pagmamahal ng Diyos mula sa ating kamusmusan, hindi natin mauunawaan ang kahulugan ng pagmamahal na ating pinagsusumikapang isabuhay sa kasalukuyan. Kung hindi natin nakilala ang pangalan ng Diyos mula sa ating musmos na isipan, hindi rin natin maiintindihan ang pagkatao ng Diyos na buhay at kumikilos sa ating kasalukuyan. Kung hindi natin niyakap ang pananampalataya sa ating murang isipan, walang patutunguhan ang ating pananampalataya sa yugtong ito ng ating buhay. While childhood is a particular phase in the life of a person, childlike attitude is a disposition. A disposition that must remain in our hearts even after we have grown in age. We are reminded and invited by today’s celebration to maintain our childlike temperament, in our hearts and in our spirit. Panatilihin natin ang kamusmusan ng ating kaloobang handang laging tumalima sa kalooban ng Maykapal. Panatilihin natin ang kapayakan ng ating pangangailangan sa Diyos at sa bawat isa. Panatilihin natin ang pagiging bukas sa pagkilos ng Banal na Espiritu sa ating buhay, at hindi sa makasariling pananaw na kayang-kaya natin sa pamamagitan ng ating sariling lakas at kakayanan lamang. Panatilihin natin ang masigasig na paghahanap ng kahulugan sa buhay tulad ng mga batang ang laging hangad ay matuto ng mga makabuluhang kaalaman at karunungan sa buhay. Today, let us celebrate life the way the Child Jesus did — loved by and loving the Father and his mother Mary. Let us nurture the Child Jesus by nurturing God in our lives and the lives of children around us. Let us love the Child Jesus by striving to not just grow old but to grow in love and in faith. Gracefully. Joyfully. Truthfully. Viva, Senyor Sto. Niño! PS: Share the Love; Spread the Gospel Vibe! #RandomlyRikorded #SermonOnTheBed #GospelNotes