In the last few words in today’s Gospel, Jesus affirms that he wishes all be saved, and that especially “the little ones”, whose guardian “angels look upon the face of their heavenly Father,” not be deprived of his saving love.
Children are symbolic of “the little ones” but he invites all to have their confidence in being loved and protected. Jesus places a child before his audience to stress this fact.
He tells them each must become like a child. Such is the condition to enter into the kingdom of heaven. Such is the appeal for daily conversion.
The great plague today for the children of the Lord irrespective of their age is pornography. Our electronic age has made it so accessible and the industry makes a special appeal to the young, to those whose angels Jesus singled out look continuously on the face of our heavenly father.
Today I shall say special prayers of thanksgiving for the Lord’s entrusting me to the care of such an guardian angel, whose face one day I hope to see.
But especially, I shall join with our Blessed Mother Mary in praying that the angels sent to guard the young take special care to protect them from the devil’s favorite enticement – pornography.