Reflection - Children

By Steve Hall

https://bible.usccb.org/readings/calendar
Jeremiah 7:1-11 
Matthew 13:24-30

Anyone who has worked with or played with children can probably relate with little effort to certain common phrases or thoughts. A couple such thoughts come readily to my mind because of time spent with my grandson. He’s five now. I watch him closely when he plays outside. He’s attentive enough that what was frequently said as an imperative when he was younger is now mentioned only on occasion and is most often only present in my thoughts: “Do not go into the street.” Or “Stop at the curb.” Or just “Wait for me.” You look forward to the day when caution will be his automatic by-word at the edge of any street. You are thankful when it becomes evident that he is aware of the potential danger.

At times, these lessons do not seem to be taken seriously and, in word or thought we voice the complaint: “How many times do I have to tell you.” This phrase may even become more, rather than less common as children grow up and there are new issues to be dealt with. Like cleaning up one’s room - or not. Like spending so much time on video games - or not. Like leaving the gas tank empty - or not.

If you examine, or re-examine, the passage from Jeremiah, you should have no difficulty understanding why these thoughts on dealing with children came to mind.

“Reform your ways and your deeds,
so that I may remain with you in this place.
Put not your trust in the deceitful words.”

“Only if you thoroughly reform your ways and your deeds;
if each of you deals justly with his neighbor;
if you no longer oppress the resident alien,
the orphan, and the widow;
if you no longer shed innocent blood in this place,
or follow strange gods to your own harm,
will I remain with you in this place.”
(Jeremiah 7:3-7)

The message Jeremiah spoke In the name of God was not something new. According to Scripture it was just another variation of the same old message addressed to the Chosen People since the time of Moses. (If you need a refresher, just review the account of the golden calf created while Moses was on the mountain receiving the Law.) So the story of salvation goes, continuing throughout the centuries with only slight variations on the basic theme.

Some wit in years past came up with the memorable quotation: Idiocy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I don’t see God’s Chosen as idiots. Yet, their inclinations and subsequent actions might suggest otherwise. But then, the same could be said of us today for the very same reasons. No, I doubt that idiocy was their true problem any more so than it is for us.

The incidents reflected on at the beginning — the incidents encountered with our children and grandchildren — more accurately duplicate mankind’s failures in the God/man relationship than does the canned solution of idiocy. Spiritually, we are still children. On occasion we may, like the young child, look for danger as would one crossing the street. More than likely, however, we are still oblivious to the evil around us and it’s many attempts to turn us, even ever so slightly, from the path we have been shown. Paul spoke of it when addressing the early Christians.

“But I, brethren, could not address you as spiritual men, but as men of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready for it; and even yet you are not ready, Rfor you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men?” (Corinthians 3:1-3)

“About this we have much to say which is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need some one to teach you again the first principles of God's word. You need milk, not solid food; for every one who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a child.” (Hebrews 5:11-13)

Though they were written two millennia ago, they might just as well have been written yesterday considering the progress we have made in the interim. How many times do we have to be told? We are as blind to our sinfulness as the young child is blind to the danger of passing cars. We are as deaf to God’s teaching as the child who must forcefully commanded: “Do not go into the street.” Because he is intent on pursuing the ‘glitz’ beyond his reach. Even more telling, we are deaf to our own prayers, saying ‘hallowed be they name’ on the one hand and ‘God damn!’ on the other.

Yet we are not unique. We just keep repeating the same mistake that our ancestors. Darwin would probably wonder how we still survive. To every generation the message is the same: Turn to me! Turn and be saved! Maybe it’s time we listened. Maybe it’s time to spiritually grow up.