People were bringing little children to Jesus for Him to place His hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, He was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And He took the children in His arms, placed His hands on them and blessed them. Mark 10:13-16
“Spiritual childhood is not spiritual immaturity or foolishness or softness; it is a sane and robust way which, due to its ‘difficult easiness’, the soul must embark upon and then continue, led by the hand of God.”
Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975) in The Way (Strongsville: Scepter, 1992) 855.
The spiritual journey is one of “difficult easiness” thanks to the gracious and welcoming posture of our Lord Jesus Christ toward us.
But notice that Jesus was indignant toward the disciples. That’s a strong word. He’s indignant toward anyone and everyone who tries to hinder children from coming to Him.
This especially pertains to vulnerable children. This implies that as we mature, Jesus wants us to take a gracious and welcoming posture, not a hard one, toward younger souls.
When I think of a little child, one word comes to mind: dependent. My two granddaughters are dependent on their parents. They run to them, find security, and depend on their care.
As we get older, this becomes a “difficult easiness” for us. We gravitate toward independence in our flesh. Thats the difficult part. The easiness part relates to resting in His care.
Where do you find yourself today? I ask because the generous life requires us to resist the proclivity of our flesh and lean into this “difficult easiness” with confidence in His care.
If you find this challenging, then look at children. Watch them. Become like them.