Feast of Saints Pontian and Hippolytus.

"GIVE ONLY GOOD EXAMPLE, TO THE CHILDREN; NEVER CORRECT THEM, WHEN OUT OF HUMOR OR IMPATIENT. WE MUST WIN THEM BY AN APPEAL TO THEIR PIETY AND TO THEIR HEARTS. SOFTEN YOUR REPRIMANDS WITH KIND WORDS; ENCOURAGE AND REWARD THEM. THAT IS, IN SHORT, OUR WAY OF TEACHING." (ST MADELINE SOPHIE BARAT).

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After he placed his hands on them, he went away." (Matthew 19: 13 - 15).

Saturday 13th August 2022, 19th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of a Pope and an anti Pope: Saints Pontian, Pope and Hippolytus, anti Pope (priest). St Pontian was elected Pope in 230 and St Hippolytus challenged him and set up himself as a rival. By a mysterious design of Divine Providence, both waring clerics found themselves in the the same prison at the same time. They reconciled and were martyred together under the Emperor Maximinus Thrax. (+ 235).

In the Gospel for today the disciples rebuked children and their mothers who prayed that Jesus might lay His hands on them. But Jesus said,
“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Have you ever been annoyed by unrestrained and noisy children during Mass?  I discovered something curious and very beautiful about this recently. Little children love the house of God in a natural way. At first, I thought that little children might mistake the Sanctuary for a super market like Walmart. A little reflection convinced me that this is not the case.  There is something about the solemnity of the assembly gathered for Mass that gets even to little children. They see something in the House of God that we distracted adults don't see. After one Sunday Mass, I saw a young child suddenly detach himself from the gripping hold of the mother and ran to the side Altar, the Shrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was gazing at the beautiful statue of the Blessed Virgin. I have learned to leave the little ones alone.

"Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children." (Matthew 11: 25).

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