The gospel for Tuesday of the 19th week in Ordinary Time is taken from Matthew 18th chapter, 1st through the 5th, 10th and 12th through the 14th verse. 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, I, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like a 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, 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 99 in the hills and go in search of the stray if he finds it? Amen. I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the 99 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.

Children did not have status at the time of Jesus. Yet Jesus sees in children such a beautiful image of what he wishes adults would be. The qualities of a child are perfect for the kingdom of God. Please reflect on the meaning of these readings and I will close with a prayer. Closing Prayer Father, it’s strange that sometimes we believe that religion is there somehow as a block, not allowing us to become who we really want to be or who we are. And the truth is that everything that Jesus teaches leads us into a place of acceptance of our human nature, acceptance of everything potentially we have within us and longs for us.

And we pray that we will mature and grow. We ask this in Jesus name. Amen.