+ Tychikos of Paphos | July 15, 2026 | Paphos, Cyprus
Saints Cyricus and Julitta, his mother,
Saint Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, King of the
Russians,
Finding of the Precious Head of Saint Matrona of Chios
“Except ye be
converted, and become as little children…”
Introduction
Our Lord and God Jesus Christ,
when His disciples were preventing the children from approaching Him, rebuked
them sternly, saying:
“Suffer the little children to
come unto Me, and hinder them not; for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt.
19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16).
And elsewhere He adds:
“Verily I say unto you, except ye
be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the
Kingdom of Heaven” (Matt. 18:3).
These words of Christ caused
perplexity: how is it possible for us to become children again? Does He mean a
biological return to childhood?
The Lord Himself makes it clear
elsewhere that this is not a carnal, but a spiritual rebirth:
“That which is born of the flesh
is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
Childlikeness: Not
Immaturity, but Purity
Christ does not call us to
irresponsibility or spiritual immaturity. He calls us to return to the purity,
simplicity, and trust possessed by a child before being defiled by the sin,
malice, and hardness of the world.
Saint John Chrysostom
characteristically says:
“Christ does not seek childhood
in age, but rather the disposition and purity of the soul.”
If we have lost this
childlikeness, we can regain it. The path is repentance, confession, prayer,
the study of Holy Scripture and the lives of the Saints, our frequent
participation in the Holy Mysteries—especially in the Divine Eucharist—and the
unceasing spiritual struggle for the purification of the passions.
Saint Isaac the Syrian writes:
“Repentance is a door of mercy,
through which man enters once again into innocence.”
The Loss of
Childlikeness in the Modern World
Today, unfortunately, many
children cease to be children from a very early age. The school environment,
the mass media, television, mobile phones, social networks, and the internet
prematurely alter their souls. This is not progress, but spiritual deterioration.
A contrary and radiant example is
the Most Holy Theotokos. According to Holy Tradition, at the age of three she
entered the Holy of Holies and remained there until her betrothal. She lost
nothing; on the contrary, she gained everything: purity of soul, body, mind,
and tongue. Thus she was deemed worthy to become the Mother of God.
Saint Gregory Palamas says:
“The Virgin purified her mind of
every worldly thought.”
The
Characteristics of Childlikeness According to Christ
1. Purity of Soul, Body, and
Mind
Children have not yet had the
opportunity to sin. If, however, this purity has been lost, it can be restored
through ascetic struggle, repentance, and spiritual warfare, by mortifying the
passions or redirecting them toward divine love.
“Blessed are the pure in heart:
for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).
2. Complete Trust in the
Father
Just as a child trusts his
parents, so also do we trust in the Providence of God and the intercession of
the Most Holy Theotokos.
“Casting all your care upon Him”
(1 Pet. 5:7).
3. Freedom from Anxiety about
Tomorrow
Without neglecting our
responsibilities, but also without anxiety and depression.
“Take therefore no thought for
the morrow” (Matt. 6:34).
4. Forgiveness and
Forgetfulness of Wrongs
Children forgive quickly and
become friends again.
“But if ye forgive not… neither
will your Father forgive” (Matt. 6:15).
5. Trust Not in Oneself, but
in God
Saint Anthony the Great says: “I
do not fear God, but myself.”
6. Guilelessness and Absence
of Suspicion
We should not think evil lies
behind what we hear or see.
“Be ye… harmless as doves” (Matt.
10:16).
7. Sincerity and Love of Truth
Children tell the truth without
calculation.
“The truth shall make you free”
(John 8:32).
8. Simplicity and Humility
They do not love ostentation and
grandiosity.
“Whosoever therefore shall humble
himself… the same is greatest” (Matt. 18:4).
9. Compassion and Fellowship
with Others
They share in the joy and sorrow
of their neighbor.
“Rejoice with them that do
rejoice, and weep with them that weep” (Rom. 12:15).
Conclusion
To “become as little children” is
not a return to immaturity, but a journey toward holiness. It is purification,
humility, trust, and love.
“Christ desires simplicity,
goodness, and a childlike heart” (Saint Porphyrios).
Let us therefore struggle to
rediscover the lost child within us, that we may be deemed worthy not only to
enter, but also to dwell in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Greek
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