Daily Meditation: Thursday, August 18, 2005

‘Unless you become like children' - commentary

08/18/2005

Jesus said: ‘Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’ How are we to understand these words? Those who are interested in making comparisons between man and animal emphasize the rapidity with which the baby animal develops and acquires autonomy. And what about human children! The slow pace of their development is obviously due to the great richness of human nature. So many elements must be put in place physically and psychically in order for children to take possession of all their faculties! Until they are able to do so, they need the help and protection of their parents. But the evolution of a human being does not end when his parents have finished playing their role, because man is also a spiritual entity who must continually progress. This is why on the spiritual plane, human beings will always be children in need of parents. One who wants to be a child in the sense that Jesus meant it must therefore acquire great knowledge, and the more he opens his heart to his spiritual parents and allows them to guide him, the more enlightened he becomes.