Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me

At about that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

"Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

"Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."

- Matthew 18:1-9

In yesterday's reading, Jesus warned His disciples, for the second time, about what was coming for Him in Jerusalem -- His betrayal, death and Resurrection. Later, when they came to Capernaum, Peter was asked, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?" and Peter answered, "Yes." Later, Jesus asked Peter -- before Peter brought up the subject -- "From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?" "From strangers," answered Peter. Jesus said, "Then the sons are free. Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you."

At about that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" In yesterday's reading, we read of an incident where, for the first time, Peter was questioned as a representative of the Master. It seems that Jesus has begun to groom the disciples for leadership. In that context comes this reading, in which the disciples begin to wonder, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" It is a kind of beginning of questions of hierarchy and rank, and the first thing that comes up is our propensity to judge ourselves by what power we have in life. My study bible says that this question "indicates selfish interests having to do with worldly power." Thus begins a key component of Jesus' idea of leadership in His Church.

Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Jesus gives His teaching on the greatness that is the standard in the kingdom of heaven. In this Kingdom, "greatness" is characterized by humility, "as this little child." My study bible says, "Jesus points to a little child as the model of the true disciple. For little children have the spiritual attitudes required to enter the kingdom: humility, dependence, lowliness and simplicity. Humility, without which there is no virtue at all, is the acknowledgment of divine grace and mercy, and the constant denial of man's achievement." If we look to the Old Testament scriptures, we see illustrated in the stories the failure of man when he takes it upon himself to find greatness -- and the great success that accompanies humility before God. God's ways may be mysterious, unknown and not completely understood by us, but it is in this humility, the willingness to be guided and directed, that we find understanding and power in the Kingdom; hence, greatness, virtue.

"Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Here is another powerful teaching for those who would be great in His kingdom, and leaders in His Church. They must treat the little ones with humility and respect. Moreover, the choices of the little ones are every bit as important to Christ as the choices of the leadership: leading them into error and sin will result in grave responsibility on the part of the leadership, those who will teach in His name. Along with the need for humility and service comes great responsibility, especially toward the little ones. My study bible characterizes the "little ones" as "the humble and simple, who may be ignored or offended by more influential members of the Church, against whom Jesus issues severe warnings. Scandals may be inevitable, but those who cause them will be punished by God." If you think about it another way, it is the little children who will become the Church of the future. In the icon I've posted above today's commentary is an illustration of this episode from the Gospels. In Orthodox iconography, this child is depicted traditionally as St. Ignatius of Antioch. Leadership, as with Christ and His disciples, is learned by example. What do children (and other "little ones") learn in the Church from the example of those in authority? This now becomes an all-encompassing question.

"Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire." Here is a deepening warning about our own weaknesses and vulnerabilities -- our propensity for sin. If we need to "lord it over others" -- behavior that Jesus has just warned about -- then we need to cast off that part of ourselves before we get into deeper error, and before we lead "little ones" the wrong way. This is a deepening warning about leadership and what it takes for the disciples to be leaders of the Church. They must look to themselves for things they may think are precious, but which are in fact deeply flawed, and lead them in the wrong direction. With the Kingdom's power, it seems to imply, come a magnification of our own weaknesses and tendencies to sin. Therefore, casting off those parts of ourselves that lead us to error becomes more important. In all, it is the vast importance of our choices here that is emphasized: both what we choose to do (as in, for example, how we treat others, especially the "little ones", or the cultivation of humility before God), and the things we need to choose not to do, to cast away from ourselves. Many of those habits and desires can feel exceptionally precious -- such as a hand or foot, or an eye. Still, it is better to enter life without those things that cause us (or others) to stumble, and keep us away from life everlasting. In effect, Jesus' emphasis on humility becomes an even more profound message -- humility extends not only to the way in which we approach God (as a little child), but to the way in which we treat the "little ones," and -- even more deeply -- the way in which we approach our own flaws and appetites, and cast out from ourselves the things which can cause a problem. My study bible puts it this way: "The reference to mutilating parts of the body suggests decisive action to avoid sin, not literal amputation. For instance, we cut off relations with friends and others, if they are seriously harmful to the soul." We must remember that we can also be influenced by those who induce us to a harmful mentality, one in which authority and leadership is confused with desire for power, especially over those without rank in the Church. The temptation to exploit others should be countered by the understanding that, in the child or "little one," one is also welcoming Christ Himself. As leadership responsibility increases, so do the temptations against humility.

So, let's consider then how we treat the "lesser ones" in the Church. Is position important? Why is hierarchy and leadership in the "worldly sense" quite different from what it must be in the Kingdom, in His Church? We remember that Jesus is addressing those who will become the great leaders and founders of the Church. The very first thing they must learn -- after His great love -- is humility, in so many forms. After all, His Church is love in action, and this is the Way. Not only do we turn to God for all things, but in all things we are to serve others -- not to lord it over them, as He will put it elsewhere. It is time to take stock, to note our weaknesses in this direction, our needs for authority and worldly power, the ways in which we treat others. We are also responsible for those things within ourselves we need to cast off. Let us not forget that in Jesus' teaching about authority and greatness, we are also learning His practice of love! Woe to that man by whom the offense comes!