Learn from the child. . .

THE STORY is told about a little child from the province who came to Manila for the first time. He was amazed with all the new things he saw in the city. Upon seeing the flyovers, he whispered to his father: "Tatay, bakit po sa atin maraming ilog na walang tulay, pero dito po maraming tulay, wala namang ilog (Why is it that in our place there are many rivers with no bridges, while here, there are many bridges even if there are no rivers)?"

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Today is the Feast of the Sto. Niño. In today's Gospel (Mk. 10, 13-16) Jesus underlines the value and importance of children. "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." It is precisely the innocence, the honesty, the helplessness and even the vulnerability of children that make them open and receptive to the Kingdom of God. We adults can learn a lot from the children; especially in the way we tend to adulterate life itself with our grown-up pride, lies and self-importance.

Children not only remind us of the way we were, but also what we should be. It is these "little ones," devoid of wealth, power and status who point to us the way to the Kingdom of God. If you feel lost, pressured, or harassed, look at a child, hold a child, embrace a child, and let a child lead you out of your self-made darkness into the light.

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I realized how "adult" I have become when one summer, driving with my little nephews and nieces to Pangasinan, we trailed a tricycle with a pig on its side-car. As far as I was concerned, I saw a pig that was about to be slaughtered, and, that was that. However, my 6-year-old niece, upon seeing this remarked: "Look how good that man is, bringing his pig around for a ride!" Her remark really hit me: I saw the pig, and I saw a dead meat; she saw the pig and she saw a live tourist! May we never lose the child that is in each and every one of us.

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Recently, I facilitated a retreat for nuns in an isolated island. The first thing I asked them was just to relax, and to forget their functions, their titles and great responsibilities, and just be like children once again. It is amazing how walls collapse and bridges are built when we become like children once again. It turned out to be such an enjoyable and liberating experience. Why? Because we gave importance and did not belittle the child in us, and precisely because we did that, we were able to relate with each other as persons, minus the functions, minus the ambitions and other so-called adult preoccupations.

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Jesus' words, "Let the children come to me," should also serve as a warning to "big-shots" who think they can steer and manipulate the course of a whole nation. Just because the majority of our people are poor doesn't mean they are dumb. Just because people are not speaking (or are not given the chance to be heard) doesn't mean they are stupid. Liars and manipulators, beware. You cannot fool the people all the time.

You can not go on telling lies. You will go down somewhere, sometime. Do not belittle the little ones -- the poor, the suffering, and the lowly in our country. They have Jesus on their side. Truth will prevail. Goodness will triumph. It's only a matter of time.

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I feel disgusted when adults and the so-called leaders talk among themselves and come up with win-win solutions for themselves. When will the people really win in this country?

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To those who continue to use and abuse the little ones and the marginalized in our country out of selfishness, and to those who prevent the poor from enjoying true and lasting peace and progress, be reminded of Jesus' words: "Whatever you did to the least of my brothers and sisters, you did it unto me." Please forget personal ambitions and agenda, and use your privilege and status to really help and serve our people. Please make a difference. And please do it now.

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On this Feast of the Sto. Niño, we adults must ask the children and the little ones in our midst for forgiveness: Forgive us for the times we were so busy with our adult businesses and we forgot you; forgive us when we were so focused on our plans, and we forgot to ask you; forgive us when we were so caught up with our well-thought agenda, and we did not consult you; forgive us when we thought we were so darn right, and we belittled you; forgive us when we go on with our sins and wrongdoings, thinking that you are too young or too little to know; finally, forgive us for thinking that we still have many years to go, and forget to really prepare you, because we thought we were indispensable, when in fact, the future is now, and the future is you.

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, forgive me and my grown-up pride, for having forgotten to learn from a child. Amen.

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