Gospel (Lk 9:46-50)

An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he took a child and put him by his side, and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

John answered, “Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him; for he that is not against you is for you.”

Commentary

In the Gospel for today’s Mass, Jesus show us a privileged path for drawing close to God: the path of simplicity. While his disciples are entangled in worries about who will be the greatest among them, our Lord brings close to him a child. The disciples thus are shown that whoever is as simple as a child can be lifted up by God’s arms and attain the greatness of his children.

Jesus does not want to quench his disciples’ desire for fulfillment, their aspiration for something great. But He makes clear to them that if they let themselves be caught up in comparisons, they will waste their energies uselessly. For to be truly great we don’t need that others be smaller than us. Nor should we let ourselves be dominated by the desire to control the activity of others or lose our peace if they carry out good works outside our own path, since “he who that is not against you is for you.” The new logic that our Lord offers helps us to heal relationships within our own families, with those we work alongside, and especially in the life of the Church. As Saint Josemaría encouraged us: “Rejoice, when you see others working in good apostolic activities.”^[1]

We are all very small before God and the gifts that He distributes among his children are riches for everyone. Remembering this will help us to overcome meaningless rivalries, and to see in the person next to us not a competitor but a brother or sister, someone with whom we can strive together to attain the glory of Heaven.

^[1] The Way, no. 965.