Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.”
I recently had the chance to spend time with family and thought of this passage several times as I observed one of my little nephews who is not yet a year old. One thing I repeatedly observed were his reactions as, several times per day, he encountered something new for the very first time. Even when these objects were simply commonplace, ordinary, household items, I could palpably perceive the wonder in his little eyes. He has not yet become desensitized to the incredible, miraculous goodness that everyday, normal existence truly is.
Little children are also remarkably honest and humble. They do not stand on ceremony and are not concerned with self-image. When they’re hungry, they tell you. When they need something, they tell you. They simply live in each moment as it comes and respond accordingly to the needs, struggles, and joys that they experience. They also do not share the prevalent adult obsession with becoming a self-made, self-sufficient, or successful person in the eyes of the world. They know that they are totally, absolutely dependent on their caregivers to provide for their needs and they are absolutely fine with that. A toddler has nothing to prove to anyone and simply delights in the gifts of love and care they receive.
A last observation I would quickly note is that the primary waking occupation of a small child is play. Authentic play is, by nature, completely non-utilitarian. It serves no tangible or temporal purpose. Play is the act of doing a thing for the sheer enjoyment of doing it with no other ulterior, tangible motive.
Jesus tells us that we need to become like little children so that we can once again learn to see the world as if for the very first time. So that we can be capable of experiencing wonder and awe in even the tiniest and most seemingly insignificant things and moments. We need to re-learn how to live in the moment, the sacrament of the present moment, where the living God dwells. We need to learn how to relinquish the need for control over every element of our existence and allow God to provide for us. We need to learn to trust Him like the infinitely loving Father that He is. Finally, we need to remember how to play, to take pleasure in doing things simply for the enjoyment of doing them. Prayer, like play, is not a transactional or otherwise utilitarian practice. It is the act of resting in God and sharing our hearts and lives with our Creator solely for the sake of enjoying the warmth of his loving company.