As I Think They Should

And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. But Jesus called for them, saying, "Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all" (Luke 18:15-17).

After all the time they’d spent with Him,
after all the things He taught,
you’d think they’d have known better
than to rebuke children and
send them away.

They thought Jesus
too busy
to be bothered;
Too engaged in His mission
than to stop for children.

“Permit them to come to me.”
I don’t think Jesus smiled as He spoke.
“Do not hinder them.”
I think He was annoyed.

Maybe angry.

His disciples should have known better.

And then I wondered . . .

After all the time I spend with Him,
in prayer,
adoration,
with the Sacraments
and the Scripture;
After all the things He's taught . . .

Am I too busy
to be bothered,
too engaged in my mission
that I don't stop
and receive others,
love and
befriend them
as He would?

After all the time I spend with Him,
After all the things He's taught,
do I brush aside
some of God’s children
because they don’t cross
their T’s
and dot their I’s . . .

as I think they should?