Catholics who manifest childlike humility and wonder are more likely to be receptive to God when He reveals Himself. Jesus even compared his Kingdom to children and taught his disciples that childlike faith is required to enter Heaven.
Instead of discouraging people from bringing their children to Him, Jesus told his followers that, if they want to go to Heaven, they should imitate the freedom, humility and trust that children exhibit.
Unlike being childish which leads to being naive or acting selfish, childlike faith is not self-conscious or prideful. A childlike spirit has no preconceived ideas or prejudices, but is one of innocence and simplicity.
Children are not self-sufficient at all and are aware that they do not need to care for themselves. They are totally dependent on their parents just as Christians are dependent on God.
God loves his children and wants to care and provide for them. Young children possess souls that respond to God’s grace, love, and mercy, totally depending on his providence and completely entrusted to his loving care.
Lives tarnished by pride, cynicism, or anxiety can prevent adults from truly knowing God when He reveals Himself and from accepting his Kingdom as a gift.
Trust in the heavenly Father:
Having an openness to guidance:
And people were bringing children to Him that He might touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this He became indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to Me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then He embraced them and blessed them, placing his hands on them.
Mark 10: 13-16
Radically dependent on Jesus:
Relying on the protection and providence of God:
Having a childlike trust:
Jesus asks for childlike abandonment to the providence of our heavenly Father Who takes care of his children’s smallest needs: “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?”. . . Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church 305
Childlike but not childish:
Children do not behave like adults:
Let us now ask ourselves: to whom does the Son want to reveal God’s mysteries? At the beginning of the Hymn Jesus expresses his joy because the Father’s will is to keep these things hidden from the learned and the wise and to reveal them to little ones. Thus in his prayer, Jesus manifests his communion with the Father’s decision to disclose his mysteries to the simple of heart: the Son’s will is one with the Father’s. Divine revelation is not brought about in accordance with earthly logic, which holds that cultured and powerful people possess important knowledge and pass it on to simpler people, to little ones. God used a quite different approach: those to whom his communication was addressed were, precisely, “babes”
Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, 7 December 2011
Becoming like children to recognize God:
Anticipating a future reality:
Receiving what God reveals like a child:
The Truth, Goodness, and Beauty of the Catholic Church
The fullness of the saving power and life of Jesus Christ:
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