Posted by The WORD in other words by Fr Franlou Bradon SVD – Univeristy of San Carlos, Cebu City
Saturday 19th Week in Ordinary Time
God’s love for each one of us began since our conception in His mind. He already fell in love with us even before we were born into this world. Thus, our dignity as a person is innate in us. It is given to us neither in the age of maturity nor in times of personal achievements. We possess it from the very beginning of our existence.
Unfortunately, society has its own standards regarding when we are treated with dignity. It considers a person dignified when they already have an elevated status among us. Take, for example, the Jewish society in Jesus’ time. It considered children unworthy to mingle with adults in a public space.
Jesus, who came to show us how to live our humanity, corrects that mentality that discriminates against persons due to age, status, rank, and the like. To counter such flawed practice, Jesus did not hesitate to touch those children and gave them his blessing right there and then before the public’s probing eyes.
Our Lord did not just intend to let them know the defect of the standard of his time. He also wanted them to learn what caring for the innate dignity of each person meant. Each person with dignity is not supposed to be rejected but rather welcomed and nurtured with respect for its sacredness.
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