WORD ALIVE

Tomorrow is the feast of the Sto. Niño in the Philippines. It is immensely popular among Filipinos. Rich and poor, young and old alike maintain a strong, if not fanatical, devotion to the Holy Child. 
 

* * *
On the feast, big and mini statues are dressed endearingly in various forms and attires. There’s a Sto. Niño clad as a fireman, doctor, or policeman (not with an extended palm for tong on the occasion). There is also a Sto. Niño clothed in green, representing the green US dollar bills Filipinos are praying devoutly of receiving them.
 

* * *
In the gospel, Jesus teaches: “Amen I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it” (Mark 13,15).
 

“Like little children,” what does that mean? What is it about a child that Jesus liked and valued so much?
The emphasis is on being childlike, not childish; hence, Christ-like.
 

* * *
One endearing quality about the child is its innocence and simplicity. No guile. When I was in grade school, I used to play with all kinds of kids in the neighborhood. My parents would warn me not to mingle with “dirty” kids from the depressed areas. But I didn’t see any difference or mind it if they came from a poor or rich family.
 

* * *
Children are honest and straightforward. A mother was once entertaining a priest in their house. 

She bragged how she instilled on her children the love of reading the Bible. She called her five-year-old daughter. “Dear, would you get the book that we all love to read?”
 

* * *
The child ran to the parents’ bedroom and forthwith came bringing a book. “Here it is, Mama,” the young girl said.

When the mother saw it, she turned red with embarrassment. It was the catalogue of fashion wear! The child handed  the book because she saw it innocently “as the book everybody loved.”
 

* * *
The other quality a child possesses is his spirit of dependence and trust. This is shown, for instance, when a child crossing the street puts its hand in the hand of the father and mother. 

On other hand, the absence of dependence is shown concretely when a man has no more time for God. Work and pursuit of money take his place or when he believes that he can do and get everything he wants with the power of his talent, wealth and intelligence.
 

* * *
If after the grand festivities, devotees go home and continue  to be unkind, unjust, and unforgiving to their fellowmen or are engaged in corrupt practices and vices, their pious acts are defective, inconsistent and merely ritualistic.

There are also pious relatives who are devotees of Sto. Niño but are not in talking terms for years; in short, they cannot forgive one another. But Jesus’ strong words are: “If you don’t forgive your enemy, your Heavenly Father will not forgive you either” (Mt 18,35).
 

* * *
The teachings of Vatican  II in  the chapter “The  Church Today”  state:  "Religion does not consists  in  act  of worship  alone but should be lived in a just, moral, and charitable conduct.”
 

“This split between the faith which  many profess and their daily lives deserves  to  be counted among the more serious errors of our age.”
 

* * *
Let’s continue to live a childlike piety — the virtues of innocence, humility, honesty, and filial trust in the Lord. 
“Unless you become like little children you cannot enter the Kingdom of heaven.”
 

* * *
Support seminarians. Did it ever come to your mind that seminarians are our future priests, missionaries, bishops and popes? We cannot have priests and bishops if we don’t support seminarians now!

Donate any amount or sponsor a seminarian's schooling good for one school year. For inquiry, e-mail me at: [email protected]