“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like a child, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”    Matt 18:3-4

My young life was a preparation for adulthood. Countless times, I heard the words, “Grow up?” So how does one grow up yet remain like a child? I think the key word is turn.

Observing and interacting with our grandkids has allowed me vast opportunities to view childlike behaviors. These sweet, innocent babies have much to teach grown-ups. Their bold willingness to repeatedly ask for what they want is our first lesson. “Again, gramma!” Never be afraid to ask God for what you need. Constantly. Kids aren’t worried about sounding like a broken record; after all, they invented the concept. Neither should we. Jesus never tires of hearing from us.

Our second lesson is simplicity. Kids are simple. What you see is what you get. They are not worried about the state of their hair, the booger on their face, or their image. They don’t require coffee and make-up before leaving their room. They are content with who they are at every moment and let you know the minute that changes. Their grasp of the imaginary, ever-changing worldly standards has not yet poisoned their self-worth. We are each unique and unrepeatable—one of a kind and must go to God as we are.

Children immediately know where to go when hurt, tired, or hungry. They don’t come with a prepared list of acceptable solutions either. Lesson three: promptly turn to God; your problems, not your solutions, are all He needs.

The fourth lesson is humility. Become small and humble yourself like a child. Wait, kids aren’t humble at all; they are rather demanding, I’d say. True, but why? Because they are utterly confident that their parents can fully meet their needs. I once heard that humility is not thinking less of yourself but rather thinking of yourself less. We must fearlessly trust in God and be secure in knowing that we are His precious and beloved children. By the right of our baptism, we become His kids, thus having the relationship to throw ourselves into His loving arms fearlessly.

Our next lessons are about complete love and entrustment. Just as every child knows who they belong to and seeks comfort only in that person, we, too, can find solace and security in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. There, we are enveloped in the Heart of authentic love, where we are known and cherished and our true source of happiness lies.

June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, established in 1856 as a devotion to the Heart of Jesus and His Divine love for humanity. Let this month be a perpetual reminder for us as His precious child, always turning to this Heart that loves us recklessly. How can I suggest this? Jesus spoke to Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque in June of 1675, saying,

“Behold the Heart which has so loved mankind that it has spared nothing, even to exhausting and consuming Itself, in order to testify Its love.”

Jesus Christ

Nothing hurts worse than being rejected by the ones you love. What more could Jesus do to prove His love for us? He desires only to be loved in return.

This Friday marks the first Friday in June, a perfect opportunity to begin the devotion to the Sacred Heart as requested by Jesus Christ. I urge you not only to read the promises He gives to those who practice this devotion, but also to share this devotion with others. By doing so, we can create a community of faith and love, all benefiting from the devotion to the Sacred Heart.

May we turn like trusting children to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and be consumed by His Love.