Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 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.”
Being like children, but not childlike
1) Live Simply. To grow as a Christian, you need humility and simplicity. Today, God proposes that we live our lives with simplicity, not complexity. In this world we are taught to seek wealth, prestige, and recognition. However, instead of helping us live humble and simple lives, these ‘worldly’ achievements only bring complications. We forget that the key to happiness is to live simply and love what we have. As Chaplin said: “I don’t have everything I want, but I love everything I have.” Love those who are with you every day and learn to live with what you need instead of what you want.
2) Do not look down on others. Today Jesus asks you to help anyone who feels rejected; nobody should feel excluded from your life or from the Church. Today, I challenge you to treat everyone you encounter with kindness. Kindness is a simple gesture, but it can go a long way. A kind gesture may be looking into someone’s eyes when you are talking to them and not checking your cell phone while you talk. Also, being respectful to someone who may not think the same way you do on certain issues; you can discuss matters, but it is not necessary to attack their private lives or humiliate them. Treat everyone with the respect they deserve as children of God.
3) Ministering. How wonderful it is to be able to seek and save souls in the name of Jesus! So many have a heart full of God and reach out to touch others. Today, you and I are invited to ‘shepherd’ and reach out to those who do not know Jesus. No one is lost to God, He is constantly seeking for each and every one of us.
May God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And do not forget, Heaven is our goal!
