Bible Reflections I 27.09.2021 - Monday I Indraya Manna I

Ordinary Time - Week 26

Readings 

            I - Zech. 8: 1-8

           II - Lk. 9: 46-50

THE LEAST IS THE GREATEST

                  

The life and teachings of Jesus topsy turvy the standard set by the world. The preaching of Jesus counteract and contradict the principles of the world order turning it upside down. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus says that anyone who welcomes a little child in His name, welcomes in the name of the Father and such a person is great in the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Jewish society, children were considered insignificant, least and were unrecognized. In reaching out to such little child lies the greatness of the person.  

‘Little child’ connotes, the helpless, the hopeless, the marginalised, the poor, the downtrodden, the oppressed, the weak and the vulnerable. In short, the neglected section of the society. St. Theresa of Calcutta is a concrete example of our time. She is great because she served the neglected, rejected and the abandoned section of the society in the name of Jesus. Greatness consists in becoming small by befriending and serving the least in the name and for the sake of Jesus. Let us take the model of Jesus, who emptied himself in the incarnation for our sake and who stooped down like a servant to wash the feet of his disciples and set an example for us to be followed. We become great in serving the least. May our mind and heart resonate with this prayer: “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours”.