Student Daily Reflection

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” Mt. 18: 3-4

Upon first reading the gospel for today I am of course struck by the image of a child. At first it seems overwhelming and almost unattainable. How am I as a college student supposed to ‘become like a child’? I am in an atmosphere of expectations, deadlines, hard work, and planning for the future and thus it seems like a child is the furthest from my reality.

However upon deeper reflection, I think the Lord in this reading is urging us to simply be who we are created to be. We are children of God and are called to recognize this reality. No matter our age, in the eyes of our Father, we are children. The essence of children and childhood is not just playing games and having fun, but identifying caregivers. Children know who feed them, dress them, tuck them in at night, drive them places, and discipline them in times of misbehaving. There is a clear understanding of necessity for the one who cares for them. With this recognition of dependence, a sense of humility arises.

Humility allows us to accept and understand that we can not do it all ourselves. The Lord is thus asking us to humble ourselves like children and recognize Him as the one who cares for us. As adults, we strive to be independent and we pride ourselves on our individual accomplishments, but God is asking us to put all that aside. He is calling us instead to rely on Him and Him alone for our fulfillment. Like a child, we should come to Him when we are hungry for the truth, need forgiveness when we misbehave, need direction, or for consolation in times of distress. He is our loving Father waiting with open arms to lift up his children. It is in this embrace that we become like children and inherit the kingdom of Heaven.