BECOMING CHILDREN

Carlo Carretto (1910-1988) an Italian priest and author wrote, “By our prayer we share the life of God. True prayer demands that we be more passive than active; it requires more silence than words, more adoration than study, more concentration than rushing about, more faith than reason. The highest state of prayer is to be children in the arms of Love: silent, loving, rejoicing.”

When prayer is this intimate it is seldom forgotten. The idea of “children in the arms of love” is a reminder of the Lord’s encouragement to “become like children.” The positional idea of prayer is to be as simple and receptive as a child. Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” What things? The Kingdom of God.

“Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” Jesus