Feast of Sto. Niño

Jesus gives importance to the children by setting them as examples. But aren’t the children sources of irritation because of their persistent questioning? Are not their cries, tantrums and rowdiness the cause of so many headaches for their parents and elders? We can enumerate a lot more reasons questioning the choice of the Lord Jesus, but the fact remains that He did refer to the children as the greatest in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 18:2). Maybe the complaints we have against children are acceptable to the Lord at their age. But in the Gospel today, Jesus refers more to their dependence, simplicity and humility.

The concern of the Lord is our salvation. If we are to belong to His Kingdom, we have to know our place before the Lord and have complete faith in Him. It is for this reason that Jesus took the children as models. In the same way that children are dependent on their parents for sustenance and formation, we must also be the same with God. Children recognize their place before their parents, and so must we. Children know that they came from their parents and therefore their parents know better than them. God created us and we should recognize that God knows what is best for us.

Jesus Himself was the best example. Though He was God, He willingly fulfilled His role as a child of Mary and Joseph. As an ordinary child, He was born of a mother, lived with His parents, helped them, visited the temple, etc. The Gospel writer and Apostle Luke saw Him growing in wisdom and strength. He did not remain a “niño” forever, though. He grew up, preached, worked miracles, suffered and died obeying His Father. He was a perfect Son to His Father. He showed the way to salvation.

Today’s feast not only recognizes the humanity of the Lord Jesus. It also reminds us that we can achieve salvation with our humanity. We should also grow in wisdom and strength. We should continue to imbibe the dependence we have on our parents and use it in relating with God.

Let us be childlike but not childish! Fr. Benny Tuazon



Reflection Question:

Do I relate with God the Father as a child?



Father, remind me always that I am Your child and I should relate to you as such. But let me grow, too, in wisdom and strength as Jesus did.