Jackie, the little girl who lived in the third house from ours on our street, stopped by one day as I was working in the front yard flower bed. I had placed a decorative rock near the sidewalk, and she noticed it. “ I don’t remember that rock being there,” she said. “Has it always been there?”

“Oh,” I said, “Yes, it’s been there, but it was so small that you couldn’t have noticed it. It just recently grew to be a big rock.”

“ Really?” she asked. “ I never knew that rocks could do that.”

We talked for a while before I confessed the truth about the rock. “Oh.”she said. “I wondered about that.”

Jackie wondered , but she believed me because I was a grown-up, and she had faith that I had no reason to lie to her.

Jesus did not take lightly the dismissal of children: “ If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42), and, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” (Mark 10:14)

Children and their faith are actually close to the center of Jesus’ ministry on earth.

The author of the book of Hebrews wrote, “Now faith is the assurance of tings hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1) He mentions Abraham and others of the Old Testament who lived by faith. Of Moses, he wrote, “He endured, as seeing Him who is invisible.” ( Hebrews 11:27)

When Jesus made our invisible God visible in his own person, and the Holy Spirit was felt by the apostles, God gave human beings an access to faith through belief in His son. Pope John Paul II wrote in his Spiritual Diary, “He who does not have faith can communicate concepts, but only a person of faith can communicate faith.”

Little Jackie did not deserve to have me make fun of her. Faith invites us to partner with Jesus: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love.” (John 15:9) Faith helps make that possible.

Love in Him,

Prue