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WOF Radio > Sermons > Sermon Archive for 2009 > Sermon 454 : The Way of the Child : 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
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    Sermon 454 : The Way of the Child : 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

    9/20/2009
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    The gesture of the Lord in today's Gospel calls to mind the spirituality of Saint Therese of Lisieux, whose "little way" is essentially a disposition of child-like trust in the Lord. This trust might be likened to the capacity of children to find profound joy in the simplest experiences of life. There are few better models to describe the soul's relationship with Christ than this "little way" of St. Therese.
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Comments
Fred Jenga
Thanks for the good message
9/17/2009 5:03:51 AM
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Fr. Andrew
Very impressive It helps me in my personal meditative reflection and also my sermons

Thanks
9/18/2009 12:15:48 PM
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Giovanni Secchi
Dear Fr. Robert,

I am so grateful for your very clear explanation. Your conclusive statement "We are all spiritual children vis-à-vis God" summarises what you reflect on the childlike trust and on "the path of being a child in the presence of God", as ways to become open towards God's reality (It echoes some aspects from the gospel two weeks ago, when the spiritual deafness was discussed). The approach to St. Therèse of Lisieux is very helpful. We have to admit that we slip away from that path very quickly, and yet the living Faith is always N O W insofar as it is true and living Faith. To live out the Faith is tautological, as Faith would be otherwise none. Yes, indeed the awareness of the moment enables us to experience Love, joy and gratitude. --

However, I can't help it, "The way of the child" also reminds me of the very principal characteristics that describe our relationship with our Heavenly Father, established through Jesus Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit. In Rom 8:14-16, the word for "children (sing. "téknon"; pl. "tékna") and the word for sons (sing. "huiós; pl. "huoì") are used synonymously.
There are passages in Holy Scriptures that suggest that it is somehow a 'two-way street', of course this idea simplifies it way too much, but what I mean is: on the one hand, we must be open to be graced by receiving the Lord, who receives us. On the other hand we received the Spirit of adoption by our Heavenly Father, and this confirms, what we are supposed to be, as His children. The fruits of the Spirit are also love, joy, gentleness (see Gal 5:22-23).
In a sense, both directions embrace one another.


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Bible references
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John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, "Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.

Gal 4:4-7
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption. 6 As proof that you are children, God sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" 7 So you are no longer a slave but a child, and if a child then also an heir, through God.

Rom 8:14-16
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, through which we cry, "Abba, Father!" 16 The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Gal 5:22-23
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Eph 1:13-14
In him [[God]] you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised holy Spirit, 14 which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory.
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9/19/2009 1:10:44 AM
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Giovanni Secchi
Please forgive me, a further thought has come into my mind:

We are graced and enabled by God to answer his Love by sharing his Love (the beginning is already done together with the Lord, it is a mystery. Here are St. Augustine's ideas very helpful). Our answer is Love, and as He loves us all, we love our Lord and our neighbours - not only by lips, but also by deeds: We serve one another. If we are doing so, it also means to keep the Covenantal relationship with God, and that leads us to salvation. In Matt 25:35, Christ announces what He will say on the Day of Judgement to those, who are received by Him to eternal life and to Paradise: "For I was hungry and you gave me food [...]" and in v.40 "whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."

If we take this background into consideration and refer it to the Gospel of the Sunday (where Jesus embraces the child, as an example), we can once more understand it also as a message on keeping the Covenant by serving the Lord and the neighbour through suffering Love on the Lord's path, which gives shape to our lives accoring to God's will.
9/22/2009 1:09:41 AM
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Dom Ronaldo
Fr Barron`s is the best net broadcast that I am familiar with,bar none. Yours in Christ, Dom Ronaldo.
12/4/2010 4:23:31 PM
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