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Hello, Father Angelo,
Could you please explain to me Jesus’s words  “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

I am accused very often of how I am closed-minded because I cannot accept arguments contrary to thrones according to the Catholic Church on bioethics and sexual morality issues. I believe that all Catholic faithfuls must follow what the Catholic Church, Teacher and Mother, says. Deviating from the official position is always bad, and will lead to loss of faith. What do you think? What should I do, so that I also start believing like a child?

Priest’s answer

Dear reader,


1. Our Lord’s statement is found in Matthew 18:3:  “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven”.

2. You can also apply Jesus’ teaching to your case. St. Thomas says there are many peculiar characteristics in children:
The first one is their simplicity. The Lord exhorts us to become children not because of the merits of their age, but because of their simplicity, as children generally have no malice.                                             Saint Paul says: “Brothers, stop being childish in your thinking (because they have none, Ed), in respect to evil be like infants, but in your thinking be mature” (First Corithians 14:20).

3. Secondly, they have no desire for greatness. They are not thirsty for dominion over others according to what St. Paul says: “do not be wise in your own estimation” (Romans 12:16).

4. Thirdly, they are immune to concupiscence. Jesus said: “whoever looks on a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart”. Children do not have this covetousness. 

5. Also they do not remember enmity. They are quick to quarrel, but they are equally quick to reconcile and forget everything.

6. Furthermore, urging us to become like children, the Lord asks us to be humble. For no one will enter the kingdom of heaven, unless he is humble. According to St. Thomas, entering the kingdom of heaven also means entering the evangelical doctrine. 

7. Characteristic of children is also faith. They trust what their parents say and they also trust what they are told about faith. Now it is necessary to have faith as “whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

8. St. Thomas raises an objection and says: “perfection lies in charity”.

Yes, it is true St. Thomas replies: “Where the greater the charity, the greater the perfection will be. But it must be said that charity is always accompanied by humility. And you can see that, if you consider what humility is.
In fact, as in pride there are two things, inordinate affection and inordinate self-esteem, so it is the other way around in humility, since one does not care about one’s own excellence and likewise does not consider oneself worthy.
This necessarily follows from charity. (…).
Thus, the more charity a man has, the more humility” (Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, 18:3).

9. As you can see, all these characteristics are proper to those who have faith.

With the wish that you may be according to the desire of Jesus Christ, I assure you of my prayers and bless you.

Father Angelo