9-Aug-16

Gospel MT 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

The disciples approached Jesus and said,
“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”
He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,
you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.
And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
What is your opinion?
If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,
will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills
and go in search of the stray?
And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it
than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.
In just the same way, it is not the will of your Heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.”
Reflection:
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?
In answer to their question Jesus calls a child over.
"Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children....."
Children are innocent, trusting, submissive, sincere, humble, and pure of heart; they are endearing to God. For those with these childlike qualities, it would seem they are already on their way to heaven.
I'm sure that like most people, I was childlike at one time.
But life has a way of robbing us of our child-like nature. I don't think I am as innocent, trusting, submissive, humble, or pure of heart as I once was.
To use Jesus' words, I think this sheep may have "strayed" from my child-like ways.
Jesus has left the flock many times to come and find me.
But, the truth is, I can be pretty stubborn. Sometimes, if I'm not caught up in a bramble bush and the grass is sweet, I resist being rescued.
But, my Lord Jesus does not give up on me. He continues to pursue me, to seek me, to woo me back to the flock.
Because, as Jesus tells us: "......it is not the will of your Heavenly Father
that one of these little ones be lost.”
"Sometime it is only through getting lost that we are able to find ourselves." - - Unknown