By Pandra Selivanov
I have been watching the TV series The Chosen, and it’s a remarkable experience to see such a depiction of Jesus’ life through the eyes of the people who knew Him. One episode that is particularly close to my heart is entitled Jesus Loves The Little Children. The Master is teaching and playing with a group of children who discover His camp outside of town. Jonathan Roumie, the actor portraying Jesus, did a wonderful job with the children.
The episode reminded me strongly of one of my favorite stories in the Bible, Mark 10:13-16, where Jesus asks for the children:
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Jesus loved children so much that I felt genuine anguish upon learning the Vatican has defrocked a priest for speaking up in defense of the unborn children of the world—the Vatican, the seat of the Pope, the successor to Peter, whom Jesus chose to feed His sheep, and the rock upon which the Catholic church was founded. Could there possibly be anything more antithetical to the mission of Jesus than punishing a man who defends unborn children? I can only imagine the sorrow He must feel at this development, at this time of the year, when His birth gave the gift of salvation to anyone willing to accept it.
Frank Pavone has been made into a layperson. He is the leader of an anti-abortion group, Priests for Life, and the Vatican issued a snarky statement that, because Priests for Life is not a Catholic organization, the group could decide for itself whether or not a layperson such as Frank Pavone could continue to participate in its work.
Undaunted, Frank issued a statement of his own. “So in every profession, including the priesthood, if you defend the #unborn, you will be treated like them! The only difference is that when we are “aborted,” we continue to speak, loud and clear.”
Amen. May God grant that Frank continues to find the strength to speak for the children whom Jesus loves so much.