Saturday – 7th Week in Ordinary Time C

The first reading from Sirach speaks to us about our creation—how God, in His infinite wisdom, has made us in His image and endowed us with unique gifts and understanding. We are reminded of our dignity and the unique blessing it is to be human. Sirach highlights that God has given us a conscience—a capacity for understanding good and evil—and urges us to acknowledge His commandments. This is not a burden, but a gracious inheritance. It is through knowing God's justice and the laws of life that we learn to navigate our existence with virtue.

In our busy lives, we can often forget that we have been created and given a purpose by God. Each of us is endowed with "an inventive heart" and the ability to discern right from wrong. This invites us to be proactive stewards of our faith, capable of making conscious choices that reflect God's love and justice. Recognizing our limited days on earth, as the Psalmist reminds us, motivates us to live with intention, embracing God's kindness that is everlasting to those who fear Him. The fleeting nature of life is a call to value our time and invest it in what truly matters: love, compassion, and faithfulness in the ways Christ asked those virtues of us, and not the way the world expects or politicizes.

And what is more important in our lives as Catholics than to reflect the image of our Creator? Our readings remind us that God watches over us and desires a relationship with us, the loving Father he is. We are continually invited to approach our faith with the simplicity and trust of a child, because in this way we remember we are but creatures, and we learn to walk humbly before him. In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus embracing the children, affirming not only His love for them but also their place in God’s Kingdom. His admonition to His disciples, “Let the children come to me,” teaches us that a true disciple must possess a childlike humility and openness to the divine. On this day which we dedicate to our Blessed Mother, we realize how poignant it is, that our Lord from the Cross, designated her to accompany us throughout our lives in the most special and unique way. We are to be children, and she is to be our Mother… our Heavenly, Spotless and Most Holy Mother.
As we strive to live our Catholic faith in a more radical way, we must embrace this childlike spirit. We are invited to lay down our pretensions, our pride, and our often self-reliant tendencies. Like a child, we must come to God with trust and dependence, acknowledging that it is not by our power but through His grace that we can truly reflect His image.

In conclusion, let us remember our massive responsibility when it comes to the children God has entrusted to us. We tenderly refer to them as our children, but we must always remember, that the principle owner and master of all things, is God. Even our very own bodies are his. And it is for this reason, just as you wouldn’t damage a car that is lent to you, how much more a body, a child, another person who belongs to the Creator of all things? Hence the care we ought to take not only of children, but of every other person the Lord places on our path, for we too, are the sons and daughters of God.
Our Lady, Mother of all God’s Children, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.