“13 People were bringing little children to him so that he might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it. 16 And he took the children in his arms; then he laid his hands on them and blessed them.”
 

Summer is a time for holidays and family. Parents want to do something good for themselves and their children. They seek rest and strength for everyday life.

The Gospel of Mark 10:13–16 takes us to a touching scene from the life of Jesus. We encounter parents who want to bring their children to the front, to do them good, and to secure the best for their future. This is what they hope for from their encounter with Jesus. They show us a strong trust and, ultimately, a deep faith in Jesus’ goodness and authority.

The disciples, as Jesus’ friends, see things quite differently. They wish to protect their Master from unimportant or troublesome petitioners. Two thousand years ago, children were regarded as insignificant compared to adults. They were situated rather low in the social hierarchy.

This attitude of the disciples arouses Jesus’ displeasure. He clears the way for the children: “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them!” (v. 14b) In doing so, he indirectly rebukes his disciples. And he goes even further. He treats those who seem insignificant with respect. In the relationship between adults and children, adults are normally regarded as role models for the children: the little ones learn from the grown-ups. With Jesus, it is the other way round. Here, the children become role models for the adults: ‘For to such as these belongs the kingdom of God.’ (v. 14c)

Jesus puts this into practice. He takes the children in his arms. Where is the Kingdom of God more than in Jesus’ arms? Jesus’ parables usually revolve around a single point of comparison that is crucial. This is also the case here, although the scene is not a parable but an event from the life of Jesus. The crux of the matter is the acceptance of the Kingdom of Heaven. Who is not familiar with the fact that children are often more open-minded towards others and the world than adults? Impartiality and freedom from prejudice are the key to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Here, once again, we encounter the timeless truth of Christ’s words. For the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, Christians should see every person as a child of God and exclude no one. Those who have fled their countries – for whatever reason – and are now in the Mediterranean also belong to the human family and need our protective embrace. The biblical Jesus was never a man merely for sentimental, edifying moments, a sort of spiritual relaxation corner set up on the fringes of life, so to speak.

Jesus treats children who are not his own as if they were his. “And he took the children in his arms.” (v. 16a) Here he even goes beyond the parents’ request. He not only lays his hands on them, but also blesses them (cf. v. 16b).

The fact that Jesus takes children in his arms leaves no room for ambiguity in the context of the Gospel or in the personality of Jesus. What might he have said about the cases of abuse in the Church? A few verses before our pericope, we find his words: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for them if a millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.” (Mk 9:42)

Jesus sees children as dignified, fully-fledged human beings who are to be respected, not as objects for the fulfilment of adults’ desires or even the satisfaction of their needs.

In the New Testament, we encounter the Word of God made flesh in Jesus Christ. This Word is not a thing of the past, but calls us again and again, beyond the boundaries of fear or selfishness, to the fellowship of all people.

I wish you, for the coming holiday season, whether with or without family, a loving regard for your fellow human beings as children of God. Perhaps, on one or two occasions, you may also feel yourself embraced by Jesus.

Barbara Heitfeld