The Path to Heaven

Sometimes in Mass I can’t help but to watch the communion line. I think all of us have the same feeling when a small child is brought to the priest and is blessed. It’s such a great feeling inside. Or maybe when we see a young boy serving on the Altar, it gives me a sense of hope in the future.

Mom and I were always amazed and very happy that when all of you were little, you each had such love for Jesus and Mary. It was almost supernatural. We use to think that you guys as infants could see angels when we were in Church. Each of you loved to stare at and kiss my Miraculous Medal. You had a sense of its holiness and worth.

I can remember putting each of you to bed and saying our prayers. Even in your cribs, a sense of calm, of peace came over you as I made the Sign of the Cross.

Why is this universal? We are certainly not the only ones who have seen this in our children.

Well I think that first and foremost, these little ones have not yet been corrupted by life’s choices, by its falsehoods, by the world. They are the ultimate purveyors of truth. They can see truth and don’t understand untruth. Each of there feelings are real, if injured, they cry, if their feeling are hurt, they frown, if they see something funny, they laugh. When they say they “I love you”, it melts your heart because you know it’s so true.

When they pray it is from the heart. Maybe they make a mistake, maybe they don’t do it just right, but it’s straight from the heart.

Children believe because it’s true. Sure, we try to catechise as much as we can. But when they are so little its just simple. “Jesus loves you” and “the Blessed Mother loves you”.

And they believe.

Why is this so important?

“And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.’”

Jesus is calling us to be like a child. To simplify. To rid ourselves of all the trappings of life and just see the truth. Why do we want to complicate everything? No, Jesus wants us to be like we were when we small children. That is what we have to work towards. How can we love like a child loves? How can we shed ourselves of what the world sees? How can we pray like a child prays?

Jesus gives us the answer. It’s in humility and in love.

There are fleeting moments in life where you get to experience a very small piece of joy, What heaven must be like for all eternity. I’ve been so fortunate to have many of those moments with each of you and your mother. And almost all those moments came when you were saying your prayers as a little girl or a little boy. It fills my heart just thinking about it.

So next time you see a small child in church or you are with your niece and nephews or friends’ children take a moment and pray with them or talk to them about Jesus. I think you’ll be surprised how much they’ll teach you about how to get to heaven.