Cycle B - Year II:  

21 January 2024: Feast of the Sto. Nino 

(Liturgical color: White)

Readings:

First Reading:        Isaiah 9:1-6

Second Reading:   Ephesians 1:3-6, 15-18

Gospel:  Please read  Mark 10:13-16 

God as a Little Child!

The Catholic Church in the Philippines celebrates the Feast of the Sto. Nino every third Sunday in January. This year the Feast is on January 21st. 

The devotion to the Holy Child is said to be the oldest and one of the most popular in the Philippines, recalling the birth of the Catholic faith in our country in1521. 

Why did God choose to be a Child in Jesus? Let us reflect on this Sunday's Gospel.

The Feast of the Holy Child is a celebration of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, our Savior. That is, God cam to us as a child to show us how to become children of God, and how we must entrust our lives to our heavenly Father. God chose to make Himself visible in Jesus as an appealing child in order to draw us to Himself. For Jesus Himself loves the little children as we can read in today's Gospel proclamation. The Lord sees in their eyes the reflection of the freshness and holiness of God's kingdom.

In the Gospel reading, people were bringing children to Jesus that He might touch them. But the disciples rebuked them who wanted to shield Jesus from the children. Our Lord contradicted them and invited the children to come to Him. There can be no doubt that Jesus loves children, expecting us to do the same, with childlike innocence. For children can be great role model for adults. Children are typically just who they are. They enjoy life and they have a great capacity for joy, laughter, and the simple gifts of life. In such a transparent and humble soul without deceit or guile we are able to see our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

"Children" can be taken in a wider sense to include all those who approach Jesus with a completely open, unprejudiced mind. Included in "children" are those who have a low status in our society. Such people are often more ready to hear the message of the kingdom and to take an active part in it.

Jesus wanted to demonstrate by His action of welcoming the children that God's love has ample room for everyone. Because everyone is important to God. He comes to each person individually that He might touch them with His healing love and power. Jesus says that anyone who "does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."

The devotion to the Sto. Nino instills the virtue of simplicity, obedience and trust in God. Such is the lesson for the Gospel reading today. It brings to our attention the mystery of childhood. We are called to become like children, having the open and trusting disposition to accept the Lord's gifts with gratitude and without reservations, ever humble and careful not to despite others, so that we may enter the kingdom of heaven.

May the Feast of the Sto. Nino inspire us to have a special love for the "little ones" in our midst, the poor, the defenseless, the persecuted, and those who relay on God for their support.

A Blessed Feast of the Sto. Nino to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!