The number of times Jesus and the sacred writers refer to the faithful as “little children” or just “children” is most endearing. It manifests the love of the Sacred Heart for His little ones. I have collected here a list of verses wherein Our Lord, Saint Paul, or Saint John used this term of endearment.
When Jesus appeared on the shore of the Sea of Galilee after His Resurrection, He did not say “Ye men of Galilee” but “children, have you any meat?” Immediately, hearing these words, Saint John said, “It is the Lord,” and Saint Peter jumped into the sea and swam to shore. He had already been forgiven for his denials when Jesus appeared to him privately after the Resurrection, but he wanted to confess again and hear the word of love before the others put the boat to shore. For his three denials, Jesus simply asked Peter three times, after they had dined but apart from the others, “Simon, Son of John, lovest thou me more than these” “He saith to him [three times]: Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He saith to him: Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15). Lambs and sheep Peter must feed them all. Little suckling lambs and sophisticated sheep. This is why for my first verse below I cite the occasion when the sophisticated Apostles shooed the children away from Our Lord when he was teaching the people. What did Jesus do? He blessed the little ones and said, “Let the little children come unto me and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven” ” (Mark 10:14).
We are the children of God. Is this not grounds for hope? Imagine being loved by God as His little children, no matter how grievously we have offended Him. If we are sorry He wills to gather us as a mother hen does her brood under her wings. He gave us His mother, who maternally wills to gather us too, as she told Saint Juan Diego, ”under the folds of her mantle and in the crossing of her arms.” Jesus gave us His mother from the Cross: “Woman behold thy son, son behold thy mother.” Jesus and Mary love us even more than our own parents. Imagine that!
| Matthew 18:3
“Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” |
“But Jesus said to them: Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.”
| Matthew 23:37
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered together thy children, as the hen doth gather her chickens under her wings, and thou wouldest not?” |
“And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus again answering, saith to them:Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God?”
Referring to the blessed in heaven Jesus said to the Saduccees who denied the resurrection: “Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.”
“Whilst you have the light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things Jesus spoke; and he went away, and hid himself from them.”
| John 13:33
“Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me; and as I said to the Jews: Whither I go you cannot come; so I say to you now.” |
| John 21:5
“Jesus therefore said to them: Children, have you any meat? They answered him: No” |
Saint Paul: “I write not these things to confound you; but I admonish you as my dearest children.”
“My little children, of whom I am in labour again, until Christ be formed in you.”
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as most dear children.”
“Whereas we might have been burdensome to you, as the apostles of Christ: but we became little ones in the midst of you, as if a nurse should cherish her children:. . .”
“And again: I will put my trust in him. And again: Behold I and my children, whom God hath given me.”
Saint John: “My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. But if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just:. . .”
“I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’ s sake.”
“And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be confounded by him at his coming.”
| 1 John 3:7
“Little children, let no man deceive you. He that doth justice is just, even as he is just.” |
“My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth.”
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome him. Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen”.
