(Mt.18:1-9)
In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about humility as the bedrock of our salvation. He demonstrated the nature and the depth of humility by bringing a child near him and telling his disciples to become like the child in its attitudes and behavior. The disciples were looking for positions of authority and dominance. Instead, Jesus offered them opportunities for service and assistance.
Those words of Augustine show how fundamental is the virtue of humility for a disciple of Christ.
Without humbling ourselves like a child in our trust and dependence on God, we will never be able to experience God in our lives. If we are puffed up with our ego and are fully inebriated with the spirit of our talents and accomplishments, we will not be able to experience the joy and peace that come from our dependence on God.
The disciples were bothered with the question of the notion of greatness. They saw Jesus as a great and powerful liberator. They entertained in their hearts some vague notions of becoming prominent citizens in the new society that Jesus would bring into existence. In their fantasies, they thought that they would get the kind of prominence at present being enjoyed by the Pharisees and Scribes in their society. So they approached Jesus with the question to find out who would be the greatest in this new kingdom that Jesus would usher in.
The reply was staggering as well as beyond belief. Only those who are helpless, dependant, trusting and simple like children are the greatest in the
He reversed the whole order of values in the secular society. Those who exercised power over people would not be the greatest, instead, humble persons doing all kinds of menial work and service to people would be the greatest. The greatest would not be found in the majestic halls of palaces and cities but in humble cottages and villages.
Jesus also explained to them the right ideas of leadership. Leadership should be exercised for the betterment of people, to make them more attached to God and to deepen their love and trust in God. No one should lead others to sin.
Jesus reserves his harshest rebuke for those who create scandals and are responsible for leading others to sin. Sin is the greatest act of betrayal against God and would involve the forfeiture of heaven. It would be better for us go without worldly conveniences than to lose heaven.
Jesus points out very vehemently that it would be worth taking any amount of sacrifices to preserve our access to heavenly bliss. Even the sacrifice of our body is worth taking if it would secure our eternal salvation. Our earthly travails and agonies are nothing compared with the loss of eternal life. Hence Jesus reminds us not to be a cause for any one to betray his trust and faith in God. It would be better for us to be punished severely than to make a little one to lose his faith in God. Just like a shepherd who goes in search of the one single sheep that has wandered off from the group and then becomes overjoyed in finding it, so too God would come in search of his lost ones and would become overjoyed at their return.
“ We should never give up on anyone who is lost, nor despair of finding them; we should not abandon them to trials and tribulations, nor fail to help them. Rather, we should try to help them to return to the right path if they wander off, welcome them on their return, and rejoice when all those who live righteous and pious lives are gathered together.”(St .Asterius of Amasea)
Let us try hard to remain faithful to the Lord and avoid paths of sin and estrangement. Jesus is our hope and salvation.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart…See if my steps are going astray, and lead me in your eternal way.”(Ps.139)
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