Today’s reading from the Gospel according to St Mark talks about marriage and children. It seems that the author of the Gospel is relaying a simple message about “trust”. We are all involved, depending on our vocation in life, in the business of trusting other people. We trust those whom we love and they trust us. Children, because they always need care and protection, are the epitome of trusting people. Children trust their parents to care for them and protect them.

St Mark makes a very powerful point about “trust”. He quotes Jesus who says, “Whoever does not receive (ie “trust”) the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it”.

These are strong words but the message is clear. Children are completely dependent on parents, older family members, teachers and other adults in the community who surround them. They learn to love because they are loved. They learn to trust because adults do not abandon them. They learn to walk because we adults give them a hand to hold onto tightly during their first faltering steps. We need each other if we are to be loving and trusting human beings who can walk tall along life’s path.

Today is a day to think about being a better lover by allowing ourselves to be more open to being loved ourselves. It is a day to think about being more trustworthy by placing greater trust in those who are close to us. If we can do those simple things we will walk taller as human beings imbued with confidence about the existence of God’s love and the reality that His kingdom of peace and justice does exist.