GOSPEL POWER l OCTOBER 2, 2021 l SATURDAY

26th Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel: Mt 18:1-5, 10  1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the  greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 He called a child, whom he  put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and  become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the  kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name  welcomes me.  . . . 10“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones;  for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my  Father in heaven.” 

Humility is always associated with truth. In describing a  child as “humble,” Jesus must be making a statement  regarding a child’s unspoiled relationship with truth.  All human beings pass this stage of innocence, when one is still  untouched by the deceptiveness and lies of the world. Unthreatened  by the truth, a child has no need to distort it, in order to protect itself  from a threatening situation. This unpretentiousness makes a child  great without even trying. For true greatness is bestowed, not earned.  And those who do not have ambitions of becoming great are the truly  great ones, because the truth of being creatures willed into existence  by a loving God suffices for them.

 Lord Jesus, may we never aspire to greatness, except in the eyes of God.  Amen