The Guardian Angels | Friday 2 October 2020

Today is Friday the 2 October, the Feast of the Guardian Angels.  

The Community of Taizé sing “the Kingdom of God is justice and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  Come, Lord, and open in us the gates of your kingdom.”  

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matt 18:1-5,10  

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. "Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.

The kingdom of heaven is mentioned three times in this brief gospel passage. “The kingdom of heaven”; not “pie in the sky when you die”, but the world, this world, as God would want it to be. What’s that like? What would it be like? How do you imagine this world, transformed by God’s dream?

To bring this transformed world into existence, Jesus says, you have to change and become like children. Why?  Think of the children you know, what they’re like.  What could Jesus be getting at?  

Can you see some of those positive, child-like qualities in yourself, or in people who are important to you?  

As the passage is read again, listen out for the first question, the one the disciples ask, that prompts this answer from Jesus.  

Talk to Jesus, to God, about how you might help make your part of the world more as God would want it to be, today.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.