Joshua 24:12-29 / Matthew 19:13-15
To say that someone is going through a "second childhood" is certainly not that positive. In fact, it is rather insulting and demeaning.
Because a "second childhood" usually refers to a person of advanced age who talks and behaves in a childish manner that irritates others and also is a nuisance and causes inconvenience to others.
Furthermore, the deterioration of mental abilities would also aggravate the matter.
In the 1st reading, we heard that Joshua died at a hundred and ten years old. That was a really advanced age but his mental alertness and awareness were certainly not diminished.
He urged Israel in his exhortation to remember the marvels the Lord had done for them and he challenged the people to make a decision to choose who they wish to serve.
Joshua himself remembered what the Lord had done for him in empowering him to lead Israel to conquer the enemies before them and to occupy their land.
He had been a great military commander who had lead Israel to many victories but that was not important to him any more.
At a hundred and ten years old, he had come to a humility and a simplicity of a child and he knew that he and his household only wanted to serve the Lord and be His children.
As Jesus said in the gospel, the kingdom of God belongs to little children who have the humility and simplicity to trust in the Lord in all things.
Let us pray for the humility and simplicity of a little child to trust in the Lord. That is what is needed first in order to serve the Lord.