Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1500196
T he wonder of a child is a wonder to behold. To see the world and everything in it through the eyes of a child is to see the world with amaze- ment. The irony, of course, is that a child's wonder stems from their lack of wondering about things. A young child has no preconceived notions of anything, nor do they have a desire to truly understand; they don't wonder how a flower bloomed but only appreciate its beauty and the pleasant aroma it omits. They don't wonder where chocolate comes from, but merely enjoy that it tastes delicious. A child needs no qualifiers to appre- ciate something; their awe of the world is innate. This childlike wonder is exactly what Jesus spoke of when he said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 18:3). I witnessed a profound form of this wonder last year when my eldest daughter received her first communion. She was below the typical age that kids receive confirmation and communion, but she asked to receive it early, and with our pastor's permis- sion, was granted her request. I'll never forget the moment that she approached the Eucharist to receive for the first time. She solemnly stepped forward, a white veil draped over her head, and almost instinctively, she knelt down before receiv- ing the Body of Christ on her tongue. Perhaps the most miraculous thing about her doing this was that she didn't learn it from my wife or myself. The Holy Spirit moved in her little heart at that moment and prompted her to kneel — a fit- ting response when one considers what the Eucharist actually is. It was a proud moment for me as a father, and also one that made me take pause, for I wondered in my own heart: do I approach the Eucharist with the faith of a child? This little act of reverence on the part of my daughter stirred something up in my wife and I and made us reconsider how we approach Jesus in the Eucharist. 8 JUNE 2023 | DENVER CATHOLIC Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." MT 18:3