Then Jesus called a little child, set the child in the midst of the disciples, and said, “I assure
you that unless you change and become like little children, you cannot enter the kingdom of
heaven. Whoever becomes lowly like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and
whoever receives such a child in my name receives me.
See that you do not despise any of these little ones, for I tell you: their angels in heaven
continually see the face of my heavenly Father.
Reflect
When I was growing up, guardian angels were a big deal. Any near-miss accident would be
greeted with, “I guess your guardian angel was watching out for you.” As I grew older, I
heard much less about my guardian angel, though I’m certainly no less accident prone.
Perhaps we focus on the guardian angels of children because we recognize that they are
vulnerable and, because of their vulnerability and simplicity, they are the greatest in the
kingdom of heaven.
We all have a responsibility to protect children who face many dangers in our world:
hunger, abuse, bullying, loneliness, violence. Children depend on the adults close to them
– and even those who are not – to make sure that their needs are met and that the
environment they live in is safe and healthy. Each of us can do our part to protect and support
children. At the same time, we can learn from them. In their vulnerability, they place their
whole trust in God, knowing that he will never abandon them. May we learn
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