Tuesday, August 11, 2015 19th
Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Dt 31:1-8
Gospel:
Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
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. (…)
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated
Life Experience)
A teacher asks who among her pupils want to go to heaven. Everyone raise their hands except Pedro. “I’d love to, Ma’am”, Pedro explains, “but Mama told me to come home early today”. Pedro’s disposition provokes us into revisiting the influence of parents over their children. This influence even extends to matters of the soul. Examples abound. In recent years authorities have discovered that even parents now have the heart to engage their own children in online pornography. In a celebrated case in Cebu that errupted years ago, the family dog was even involved in the show.
No less than our 1987 Philippine Constitution recognizes the family as the foundation of the nation (Sec. 1 Art. XV), and commits part of its resources to its preservation and protection (Sec. 3 Art. XV). The importance given is not misplaced because the family is the basic unit of society and must be maintained as our safest haven. Unfortunately it is evolving into one of the most dangerous places for children. The depleting sense of morality of parents, especially mothers, has brought the danger up to the womb. Some mothers claim absolute right over their womb and so insist on their right to enjoy sex without having to worry about pregnancy. Thus they resort to contraceptives. While it may be argued that contraceptive use is not yet abortion, contraceptives are tools that are unfriendly to the realization of life. Times change and mentality evolves but something should remain, such as the inviolable truths about respect for budding life, such as the life of a child.
Jesus’ warning remains unchanged, and its truth is undiminished: “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” (Matt 18:10). Now the warning is also addressed to parents themselves. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM., MAPM., Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website:www.frdan.org.
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