Probably the biggest tragedy for us is the loss of a child. This is unquestionably a very sad moment for the parents, siblings, family members, and friends. There are people who lost their faith after the death of a child. It is hard to understand why God allowed that to happen and why so many children suffer because of wars, famines, abuse, or abortion. Not sure about you, but when I struggle with these questions, I find hope and consolation in the words of Jesus from today’s Gospel reading: “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." The Kingdom of Heaven belongs to all those children who suffer in this world, and those who leave this world way too early. But being a child and not committing any mortal sin, they are blessed with the gift of Heaven. In the end, isn’t this the ultimate goal for each one of us? We need to earn a place in Heaven for ourselves, but those little children belong there already and are awaiting us to join them.
