Children were brought to Jesus
that he might lay his hands on them and pray.
The disciples rebuked them
The disciples assumed this was a waste of time. They thought Jesus had better things to do, knowing the pressing needs of those who were ill and possessed by demons, as well as the mission that Jesus himself still desired to complete. These children were, apparently, accomplishing nothing for themselves or for any mission. And they were in turn also apparently sabotaging the productivity of Jesus himself. In our own society that has become so busy, so obsessed with productivity, and so focused on doing, can we not sympathize with why is disciples would behave in this way?
"Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them;
for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Inheriting the Kingdom was not, therefore a matter of deserving, not of productivity, not a result of even the best intentioned busyness. The Kingdom was always first and foremost a relationship to the King. These children had found the better part and it would not be taken away from them. We tend to be like Martha, only able to think of everything that isn't being done during these picturesque events resembling Precious Moments Christmas ornaments. We tend to value action. We do pay lip service to contemplation because we know Jesus and many saints valued it. But it really just seems like an intermission between times when real work of genuine value is possible.
Contemplation can only be understood from the inside out. Relationship with Jesus only reveals itself to be the one truly essential thing when we begin to put him first in our lives. He may call us to be silent and still when we would prefer to be noisy and active. But when we can inhabit this posture of trust he is able to do the fighting for us.
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still (see Exodus 14:14).
The Kingdom doesn't come into our world as a result of us forcing it. Jesus didn't come with an army to set the world straight by means of military force. Rather he allowed himself to be led by the Father in a way that must have appeared shockingly passive in the eyes of the world. He did not insist on control of circumstances and events. But neither did he allow himself to be taken before it was his Father's will, before his hour came. He was with the Father and attentive to his will, allowing himself to be led, trusting that he would make all things work together for his good.
We too are called to become like little ones, to put our central focus on relationship with Jesus, and to trust him with unshakable trust. Our plans, in the grand scheme, are not nearly so important as just being together with him. Then, when our own hour comes, we will be able to recognize it and trust him to guide us through it. Even when it appears darkest and most difficult we can continue to cling to him just as he himself clung to the Father during his own Passion. We can hold on to belief that he is making all things work together for an even greater good than all that we can ask or imagine.
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