A Homily for Matthew 18:1-5 : Turn and Become Like a Child (1-10-25)

A heartfelt homily on Matthew 18:1-5, reflecting on the call to turn and become like children, connected with the life of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. (1-10-25)

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

Once, the former president of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, went to a small school to see a science exhibition. The children had prepared little models with their tender hands. Some were neat, some a bit broken, some very simple. But Dr. Kalam stood there with great wonder. He was a great scientist who had worked with rockets and satellites. He had invented and discovered many things. Yet in front of those small models, he clapped his hands and said with joy, “Wonderful!”

Why could such a great man rejoice in the work of children? Because he had a childlike heart. His greatness did not make him proud. It made him simple enough to bend down to the level of children. In that moment, those children felt important, felt loved, and felt lifted up.

This is very close to what Jesus tells us in today’s gospel: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” The key word here is turn. To turn means to change direction. It means to leave behind pride, hardness, and the restless desire to be first. It is a call to walk in another way, the way of simplicity and trust.

What are the qualities of children? They trust easily. When a child is hungry, he/she does not wonder whether the food will come or not. He/she cries out to his mother and waits. The child believes blindly in the love of the father. Even if she/he falls, she/he runs back into the same hands. The child does not carry bitterness for long. She/he forgives quickly. These are the qualities Jesus invites us to live.

Today we celebrate the feast of a great saint who lived this Gospel that is St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Her whole life was a living example of this gospel. She chose the “little way.” She believed holiness was not in doing mighty works but in trusting completely like a child. She once said, “It is enough to recognise one’s nothingness and to abandon oneself like a child in the arms of God.” She teaches us that the way to heaven is not by climbing ladders of success but by coming down into the arms of the Father.

Turning is not only for saints. It is for families, for religious communities, for each of us. When a husband and wife stop fighting to prove who is greater and instead turn toward forgiveness, peace enters their home. When a religious sister or brother stops seeking recognition and instead turns to serve quietly, joy fills the community. When a parent bends down to listen to a child, love grows.

The world may tell us to be great, to be first, to show our power. But the gospel tells us to turn, to become small, to live in trust. Like Dr. Kalam before those children, like St. Therese before her Lord, let us learn to find greatness in littleness. Let us  always remember that our Lord is the Lord of small things.

 Lord, help me to turn and become your child, trusting blindly in your love. Amen.

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God Bless…