Daily Catholic Lectio
Sat, 17 August 2024
Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time – Saturday
Ezekiel 18-1-10. Matthew 19:13-15
Children
Today’s readings invite us to reflect deeply on the nature of personal responsibility and the openness of our hearts to God’s grace.
In the first reading, from the prophet Ezekiel, we hear a challenging message: God speaks to the people of Israel, correcting a misunderstanding that had taken root in their minds. They had begun to believe that the sins of the parents would inevitably bring punishment upon the children. But God, through Ezekiel, makes it clear that everyone is responsible for their own actions. “The soul who sins is the one who will die,” says God. This isn’t just about the physical consequences of sin, but a spiritual truth. Each of us stands before God with the freedom to choose righteousness or sin. We are not bound by the sins of our ancestors; we have the power, through God’s grace, to choose life.
This message of personal responsibility is profound because it reminds us that we cannot blame our circumstances, our family, or our history for our moral choices. We are called to take ownership of our lives and turn to God in repentance and faith. God’s justice is balanced with His mercy, offering each person the opportunity to start anew, regardless of the past.
In today’s gospel from Matthew, we see another side of God’s heart—His deep love and care for the innocent, particularly for children. The disciples, perhaps thinking they were doing Jesus a favour, tried to prevent the children from coming to him. But Jesus rebuked them, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
This short passage is rich in meaning. First, it shows us the value Jesus places on humility and innocence. Children, in their simplicity and trust, represent the ideal attitude we should have towards God. They come without pretence, fully open to receiving love. Jesus teaches us that the kingdom of heaven is not for the proud, the self-sufficient, or the calculating, but for those who approach God with a childlike heart.
Moreover, this passage reminds us of the importance of welcoming and protecting the vulnerable in our society. Just as Jesus welcomed the children, we are called to create spaces where the weak, the marginalised, and the innocent are cherished and protected. We must ask ourselves: Do we help others come closer to Jesus, or do we sometimes, like the disciples, inadvertently push them away?
These two readings together challenge us to live in a way that honours both our personal responsibility before God and our duty to nurture and protect the vulnerable around us. We must remember that each person is responsible for their own soul, and yet we are all interconnected, called to support and guide one another in the path of holiness.
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May the Lord give us the grace to choose life, to be childlike in our trust, and to be instruments of His love and mercy to all we meet. (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 175).
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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