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11 He replied, “Not everyone can accept this teaching, but only those to whom it has been given. 12 For there are eunuchs who have been made so from birth and eunuchs who were made so by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let those accept this who can do so.”[a]

13 Jesus Receives Little Children.[b] Then people brought children to him so that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them,

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 19:12 The virginity recommended by Jesus manifests the new creation of the New Covenant and is the prelude to the kingdom (see Mt 22:30). However, the renunciation of marriage out of love for the kingdom is possible only through the medium of a charism, a special gift of God (see 1 Cor 7:7).
  2. Matthew 19:13 The Gospel has retained this spontaneous and true gesture because it is also a sign. To enter into the kingdom, i.e., into intimacy with God, one must be free of all pretense and become poor and little for humans are always weak and needy before God.