Thursday, July 20 : Saint Clement of Alexandria

The role of Christ, our Teacher, is, as its name suggests, to be the guide of children. But we have yet to consider what children Scripture is talking about and then to give them their Teacher. The children in question are ourselves. Scripture draws attention to us in a great many ways, making use of various images to refer to us and highlighting the simplicity of faith in many different shades. It is said in the Gospel: “The Lord was standing on the shore… and he said to the disciples – who were fishing – : ‘Children, have you caught anything?’” (Jn 21:4-5). It was his disciples whom he called ‘children’. “People brought children to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked 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.’” (Mt 19:13-14). Our Lord himself clarifies the meaning of these words when he says: “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 18:3). This has nothing to do with being born again but puts forward the simplicity of the child for our imitation… We can, indeed, call ‘children’ those who only know God, their Father – newborn in the strict sense… There are some persons who have made progress in the Word, whom he calls to detachment from earthly concerns so as to listen only to their Father as children do. This is why he tells them: “Do not worry about tomorrow; sufficient for each day is its own evil” (Mt 6:34). See how he exhorts us to free ourselves from earthly cares so as to cleave only to our Father! Whoever carries out this command is indeed an infant, a child for God and for the world, since the latter considers him wholly ignorant and the former is an object of care.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team