Reflection for Oct. 6, 2025

Rediscovering faith & fidelity through the eyes of the young

by Sister Elise Cholewinski

I was returning from giving a retreat in Maryland. Storms had delayed my flight from Washington, and as a result, I was spending the night at the O’Hare airport in Chicago. A young man working in the airport came walking by me after 2 a.m. and was able to provide me with a small office in which I could stay and rest and read.

It was about 6 a.m. when a little boy, about 6 years of age, was brought into that office. He was traveling alone to Oklahoma City. His voice quivered as he said a final goodbye to one of his parents on the phone. We engaged in some conversation about his trip. Because I had opted for wheelchair assistance, he was concerned when I got up from the chair to take care of something. When I returned to the chair, he offered a hand to help me get seated.  Then he said, “I have a bag of pretzels. Would you like one?” I felt an overwhelming admiration for that child at that moment. He was so precious, so innocent.

In this Sunday’s Gospel (Mark 10:2-16) Jesus rebukes the disciples for trying to prevent the children from approaching Him. Does our culture do the same thing to children today? Do we prevent them from meeting Jesus as a friend, from coming to know His Father as a loving God, from developing the practice of showing kindness to others? Do we leave them behind through abandonment and neglect? Do we allow them to fall victim to the temptations of the adult world?

In the first part of Sunday’s Gospel Jesus speaks about faithfulness in marriage. His call to fidelity can be applied to all people in committed relationships. Maybe what our children need most today is the witness of adults living true to their promises and giving an example of love and service in both good and challenging times.

On the other hand, we can learn so much from the witness of children. I experienced that myself early one morning, reaching for a pretzel in an airport.