Reflection for August 11, Tuesday; Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

Gospel: 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.”

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Reflection:

Many of us if not all of us put premium in recognition.  For example we love it when people recognize our effort and when they commend us for what we do. We nod in approval and deep inside us we feel proud for the recognition that we have received.

In our gospel the disciples asked Jesus about who is the greatest in His kingdom. In reply to their question Jesus called a child and told them, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.” Jesus obviously did this to teach His disciples about the great virtue of humility.

Perhaps Jesus was telling Himself, did they follow me because they want to be great in my kingdom? Did they follow me for the reason that they want to be recognized? Do they know that to follow me is the beginning of forgetting of oneself and any personal agenda/s? Do they know that the true essence of discipleship lies in humility?

Many of us today are like the disciples, we want greatness and recognition for the things that we do for the church and our fellowmen. But God did not made us to be great and to be recognized we were made by God to be humble.

Therefore, in whatever that we do; let us not aspire to be great or to be recognized. Let us humbly do what we are asked to do, for this is what Jesus wants us to do.

Let us not worry about recognition, greatness and honor for it will eventually come. Once we humbly do everything for the greater glory of God and not for our own glorification. – Marino J. Dasmarinas