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First reading James 5:13-20
A good man’s heartfelt prayer has great power
If any one of you is in trouble, he should pray; if anyone is feeling happy, he should sing a psalm. If one of you is ill, he should send for the elders of the church, and they must anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord and pray over him. The prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up again; and if he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven. So confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, and this will cure you; the heartfelt prayer of a good man works very powerfully. Elijah was a human being like ourselves – he prayed hard for it not to rain, and no rain fell for three-and-a-half years; then he prayed again and the sky gave rain and the earth gave crops.
My brothers, if one of you strays away from the truth, and another brings him back to it, he may be sure that anyone who can bring back a sinner from the wrong way that he has taken will be saving a soul from death and covering up a great number of sins.
Responsorial Psalm 140(141):1-3,8
Let my prayer come before you like incense, O Lord.
I have called to you, Lord; hasten to help me!
Hear my voice when I cry to you.
Let my prayer arise before you like incense,
the raising of my hands like an evening oblation.
Let my prayer come before you like incense, O Lord.
Set, O Lord, a guard over my mouth;
keep watch, O Lord, at the door of my lips!
To you, Lord God, my eyes are turned:
in you I take refuge; spare my soul!
Let my prayer come before you like incense, O Lord.
Gospel Mark 10:13-16
It is to such as these little children that the kingdom of God belongs
People were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.
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Let the children come to Me
In today’s gospel, many people brought their children to Jesus. However, His disciples stopped them because perhaps they felt that Jesus had more important things to attend than to be with the little children. However, Jesus was upset with His disciples. For Him, He welcomed the little children and all whom the world may see as insignificant. He said, “Let the children come to me; do not stop them…”. The message for us is clear. In the same way that Jesus welcomed children, we should do the same. As parents, grandparents, godparents, aunts/uncles, teachers, etc., we should be aware of our responsibility to lead them to Jesus.
“…to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs”. Jesus is also calling us to be like little children, i.e., be more child-like in our trust in
Him. We often become more cynical, judgemental, and self-sufficient as we grow older. We end up keeping Jesus at a distance. Today, let us be like little children and go to Him with loving trust.
Him. We often become more cynical, judgemental, and self-sufficient as we grow older. We end up keeping Jesus at a distance. Today, let us be like little children and go to Him with loving trust.
Question for reflection:
How can I grow to become more child-like in my trust in God?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
