Children, Childhood
Jesus blessing little children
As in the Gospel and in the work of Maria Valtorta, one must "become like the little children" in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Jesus gives this example to his Apostles who were disputing about who was the greatest among them.
In "The Gospel as it was revealed to me"
Sons and daughters
- The Church has fixed the Age of Responsibility at 7 years because it is the age when a child, even delayed, can distinguish, at least in a rudimentary way, Good from evil. But there are children who, being more Good earlier, can discern, propose themselves and will with a reason already sufficiently developed.[1]
- Mary imagines her coming child Jesus.[2]
- Children, if you do not learn to obey the small commandments of the father and the mother you see, how will you be able to obey the commandments of God, which are said in his name but you neither see nor hear?[3]
The little ones
- Only the innocent, without calculation and without hatred, will say my name with a love equal to that of this little one and of my Mother.[4]
- The Faith of the little ones: The very little one believes everything is possible. He does not ask how a fact can happen. He does not measure its depth. He believes in the one who inspires him with confidence and does what he tells him. Be like little ones before the Most High.[5]
- The very little ones by Age all possess this Soul, as if it had not yet been defiled, which delights God and brings relief to the Christ.[6]
- And beware of causing scandal to one of these little ones whose eye sees God. One must never give Scandal to anyone. But woe, thrice woe, to the one who defiles the ignorant Candor of children![7]
- Only children have the angelic Soul, preserved by their innocence from knowledge that can turn to mud. That is why I love them so much. I see in them a reflection of infinite Purity. They are the only ones who carry with them this memory of Heaven.[8]
- The attraction that Jesus exerted on little ones is wonderful![9]
- The Soul has no Age. And I even tell you that the childlike Soul, because it is without malice, is for the capacity to understand God, more adult than that of a sinful old man.[10]
Being like a child
- The garden of the Redeemer is the earth and the lilies are the children [...] So know what is the first condition to be Mine. I am not telling you difficult words. I am not giving you more difficult examples. I tell you "Take example from these children" [...] Be like them: simple, pure loving, sincere, believers.[11]
- Childhood of the spirit necessarily required to conquer the Kingdom[12]
- In truth I tell you that if you do not change the way you think, act, and love, and if you do not remake yourself in the model of the little ones, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. – Capernaum about the young Benjamin ([13]-[14]-[15]) and [16]
Child of God
- "Our Father who art in Heaven."[17]
- You renounce, you deny God the Father to choose another father for yourself. And it is Satan. You have for father the demon and you want to accomplish what he suggests to you.[18]
In fundamental Christian texts
In the Bible
- Those are sons of God who are led by the Spirit of God: you have not received a spirit that makes you slaves and returns you to fear, but a Spirit that makes you adopted sons and by whom we cry: "Abba", Father. This Spirit itself bears witness to our spirit that we are children of God. Children, and therefore heirs: heirs of God, co-heirs with Christ, since, sharing in his sufferings, we will also share in his glory.[19]