Reflection

In Sunday’s Gospel the disciples are discussing amongst themselves who was the greatest. Jesus says “if anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all”.  Taking a child, he placed it in their midst and putting his arms around it, he said to them, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my names, receives me; whoever receives me, receives not me but the one who sent me”.

We see consistently in the Gospel that Jesus reverses the accepted social order. He places the small, the weak, the little ones as the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  He also says that last shall be first and humility and service are the key.

We have all heard these teachings of Jesus many times.  We pray today that these messages can take root deep in our hearts.  May we truly be people of humility, deeply aware of God’s many many blessings and the truth that all we are and all we are able to do is only through the grace of God.  May we acknowledge more and be grateful more for God’s blessings on our lives and like little children have open, receptive and trusting hearts.  May we also look out for and serve the little ones in our own context.

Holy Family of Nazareth – Be our inspiration and our guide

Jesus of Nazareth – Help us to grow in faith, wisdom and knowledge