Aug 12th 'little children 'Mat 18:5 &10

I woke up today just thinking of another day to be 'wasted' baby sitting!.Then came the word as usual in the breeze : in today's gospel reading - Jesus talks about little children.  'whoever receives such a child in my name receives me...See that you do not despise any of these little ones,for I tell you:their angels in heaven continually see the face of my heavenly father".

Whoever receives

...did I forget I have received these precious gifts from Him? They are His'? Yes, and do I have the right to reject when he wants to give me one?

Its just quite natural for me as a father to love them,enjoy them but today's gospel adds another' even higher dimension to this fathering experience: I am RECEIVING Christ when I am receiving my child, when I am catering to him,when I am baby sitting him. Isn't  it  wonderful to steal the most precious possession that way? Will it be like receiving him in Communion?

See that you do not despise ...God Forgive me & help me when the going gets tough! When the little one insists on sitting on the dining table and throwing noodles all around and when the older ones are stubborn.....God help me not to despise your little ones.

..their angels in heaven continually see the face of my heavenly father

I just don't know if it's a coincidence when I told this verse to my one yr old , he exclaimed 'Abba' staring somewhere. They must be really seeing His Face!

Joe