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

 

 At 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 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus and the disciples were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus  anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"  Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "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 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."  Let us first consider that by now Christ has given the disciples two warnings of His Passion that is to come at Jerusalem (see yesterday's reading, above).  They have, as yet, no idea what it means that He will be "raised up."  Perhaps they think that the coming of the Kingdom is imminent, and they expect it to be a worldly kingdom, and so they ask about their positions.  My study Bible comments that this question a selfish interest in worldly power.  Christ points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and emphasizes the virtues necessary for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  My study Bible lists these as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In Orthodox iconography, St. Ignatius of Antioch is depicted as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he's the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).

 

 "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."  My study Bible explains that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.  

 

"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."  Jesus' reference to mutilation is meant to illustrate the need for decisive action in order to avoid sin -- and of course does not advocate literal amputation.  (He uses a similar illustration in the Sermon on the Mount, at Matthew 5:29.)  This also refers, according to my study Bible, to harmful relationships that need to be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

 

 It should be quite obvious how serious Jesus is about the deadly nature of offenses in today's reading, given the descriptions here of both woe to the offender ("it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea"), and the drastic measures referred to here to keep from committing those offenses ("It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire").  Let us note that this conversation happens as Jesus has just given the second warning about what is to come in Jerusalem, and the disciples have begun asking questions about what positions of authority they will hold in His kingdom; that is, the earthly type kingdom they are expecting ("Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?")?  His first emphasis is on humility, a lesson to us all who seek to follow Him ("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").  So He first very explicitly uses a little child (perhaps St. Ignatius of Antioch) as an example to all the men of how they must approach the Kingdom.  Next, He reveals a stark warning against abuses of power; that is, offenses against the "little ones" ("Woe to the world because of offenses!  For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!").  We must presume that because the disciples have just asked about positions of greatness in the Kingdom, this is Jesus' top priority -- that authority and rank in His Church not be used to abuse the little ones, the humble, including, of course, children.  If we think carefully about His words regarding mutilation to avoid sin which illustrates the dire importance of the problem, we may consider that He first mentions a hand or foot causing offense:  a hand may grasp what does not belong to it, it may reach out to take something, a foot can trespass over an important boundary and step where it doesn't belong.  An eye may gaze with lust or with envy or with greed to take something that doesn't belong to one.  These stand in for habits and offenses which will harm the powerless, the young, the small, and so Jesus here is speaking about the central importance of self-discipline, a willingness to change, and to discard habits that might be so ingrained -- or even feel so precious -- as to be a part of us like our eyes or limbs may be.  But it is up to us to learn the true discipline He desires if we are to follow Him.  This is, yet again, illustrative of another purpose for fasting, so that we learn self-mastery, a kind of ability not to indulge ourselves and not to be slaves of our passions, to say "No" to what we must reject even if it feels like an inalienable part of who we are.  We live in a world where so many of our desires may be instigated and catered to through modern telecommunications, instantaneous gratification being an objective "good" touted to us in popular culture.  But this is not the perspective of Jesus, and it is not truly the substance of what it takes to live good human lives, to build up our loves into something worthwhile and positive.  For that we need a discipline, we need to follow something or Someone who is going to take us to better lives and better communities, and that takes the discipline to say "No" to the things that tempt us with easy solutions to feel good, and not to do the work of self-discipline.  Let us reach toward Christ, to be the persons He calls us to be.  Let us cut off the habits and other things which cause harm, the easy indulgence, in exchange for the truly good:  for the humility to follow Him and learn as a child, and to enter into the kingdom of heaven, in order to assume whatever authority or grace He gives, and grow in His love and His teaching. Finally, let us recall His words: "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me."  What greater concept of grace and gracious behavior can we receive than this?  To receive even one little child in His name is to receive Christ Himself.  Jesus gives us the tools for building our lives and communities on His grace.  Let us endeavor to reach the standards He teaches us. 

 

 

 

 

 

Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him. 

 

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.   And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  

 

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."   But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

 

- Mark 9:30–41 

 

 And when He came to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him to Me."  Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, "From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:  "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."

 

  Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.   Here Jesus predicts His death and Resurrection a second time to the disciples (see also this reading).  My study Bible says that He does so in order to show that He is going to His Passion freely, and not being taken against His will.  Let us note that the disciples still did not understand what He was telling them, and they were afraid to ask Him about it as well.  

 

 Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.   And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."   It's likely that Christ's talk of rising again on the third day has the disciples convinced that He is speaking about a worldly kingdom that will manifest, with Jesus the Messiah at its head.  My study Bible comments that the dispute among the disciples as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom they envisioned indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus powerfully asserts the norms of service, and of humility as those which must operate regarding greatness in His kingdom (and His Church).   To receive even a little child in Christ's name is to receive Christ; and to receive Christ is to receive God the Father who sent Him.  

 

 Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."   But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."  My study Bible notes that Theophylact sees John's comment voiced as a regret, his conscience having been pricked by what Christ said about the least and the great.  But St. Ambrose, on the other hand, sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany these blessings of the Kingdom.  In either interpretation, my study Bible says, Christ's response shows those acting in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact writes, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples."  See also Numbers 11:24-30.  On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.  

 

 There are interesting "directions" (or perhaps we should call them "redirections") in today's reading.  By that one intends to note how Jesus asks us to redirect our perception of persons to Himself.  In the first case, we're told that then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  Jesus asks us to redirect our gaze upon those whom we receive in His name, and to look beyond them to see Himself.  In this case, we're to redirect our gaze yet again -- in order to see God the Father received wherever He is.  Note that He sets down the specific condition under which this happens:  when they are received "in My name."   That is, when the disciples are acting on Christ's behalf, as we all might do when we are acting as His disciples, serving in His Church, living our faith.  In the second instance, to act in Christ's name is something He asks us to observe also in other people, whom we perhaps do not even know.  And for those people as well, we are supposed to perceive Christ in the midst of their action.  Jesus says,   "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."   From this latter statement, we can presume that one who acts (gives you a cup of water to drink) in His name, and also because the receiver is somehow "in His name" (because you belong to Christ), will by no means lose his reward.   From these statements we can conclude that the power of Christ's Person, and particularly of His "energies" or spiritual activity in the world, is always going to be at work accompanying those who act in His name, and those who live lives of faithfulness to Him.  When we maintain this kind of faithful living for ourselves, and when we receive even those of seeming least importance in His name, then we are to see Him in that person (as well as the Father by implication), and we are those who carry His blessings as well.  We're given a hint in these statements about the power and blessings that accompany the presence of Christ.  Perhaps we should rather say that Christ's words affirm His presence in all that we do, if we act "in His name."  That is, when we are living faithful lives, and acting as His disciples, seeking to live His will for us.  This principle is true when we are the principle actors, or are the recipients of faithful action, as one who belongs to Him.  Moreover, we're to carry this action of Christ's presence over to our own awareness, our consciousness of receiving Him even in "the least of these," and -- even more powerfully -- this magnifies moreover into the presence of God the Father who sent Him on His saving mission in the world.  Like a powerful worldly emperor or king, all that is "in His name" belongs to Him and represents the presence of His Person, even of the One who sent Him.  When St. Paul writes about a great "cloud of witnesses," he is referring by extension to all those who played a role in the salvation history of the world, the creation and unfolding of the faith that we receive.  But such a cloud could not exist without what it means to act and be faithful "in His name" -- for, as St. Paul also writes, "He is the author and finisher of our faith" (see Hebrews 12:1-3).   In these senses in which Christ is present with us in our faithfulness, through people we receive in His name, and also through us when those who receive us do us kindness, that faithfulness "in His name" makes possible a kind of icon.  That is, in all of these encounters, and in living this life of faithfulness, icons of Christ Himself -- images which point to and reflect Him -- become possible in all encounters.  This chain of meetings and images and meanings works to turn Christ's creation into His icon, when we live and practice faith in His name.  Let us be ready and willing for these encounters and the life He asks of us.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?

 

 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father. 

 

And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to the disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.  

 

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest.  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great."  Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone 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 who is not against us is on our side."

 

- Luke 9:37-50 

 

Yesterday we read that, about eight days after Peter's confession that Jesus is the Christ of God, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.  As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening.  And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.  But Peter and those with him were heavy with sleep; and when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men who stood with Him.  Then it happened, as they were parting from Him, that Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles:  one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah" -- not knowing what he said.  While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were fearful as they entered the cloud.  And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!"  When the voice had ceased, Jesus was found alone.  But they kept quiet, and told no one in those days any of the things they had seen.

 

  Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, that a great multitude met Him.  Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.  And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him with great difficulty, bruising him.  So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not."  As Jesus is just returning from the mountain of the Transfiguration together with James, John, and Peter, the disciples who were attempting to cast out the spirit were the other nine left behind.  

 

Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?  Bring your son here."  And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed him.  Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.  My study Bible comments that while the disciples' faith was incomplete (Matthew 17:19-20), Christ's rebuke is also to the crowds, whose faith was weaker still (see Mark 9:22-24). 

 

And they were all amazed at the majesty of God.  But while everyone marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to the disciples, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying.  My study Bible remarks here upon Christ's repeated prediction of His Passion.  It says that this was meant to encourage and strengthen His disciples for the terrifying events that they would faith -- and also to assure them that Christ was not powerless but went to the Cross willingly. 

 

 Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest  And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, "Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.  For he who is least among you all will be great."  Perhaps because of Christ's warnings which the disciples do not understand, they believe that a worldly kind of kingdom will manifest for Christ; so they dispute among one another which one would be greatest in that kingdom.  Jesus points to a little child to correct their thinking.  Jesus emphasizes humility and gracious service as the key to greatness among His disciples in His Kingdom.

 

Now John answered and said, "Master, we saw someone 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 who is not against us is on our side."   My study Bible comments that Theophylact sees John's comment as regret, as his conscience was pricked by what Christ said about the least and the great.  But, on the other hand, St. Ambrose of Milan see John as expecting full obedience to accompany such blessings.  Christ's response, my study Bible says, shows that those who act in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact is quoted:  "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples" (see also Numbers 11:24-30).  On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.

 

 Today's reading begins with a father desperate to save his son from the spirit that harms the child.  He has gone to the disciples to cast it out, and they cannot.  Jesus' response to this scene He comes upon from the Mount of Transfiguration is to say, "O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?"  Jesus then rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave him back to his father.   It's important that we know that Jesus has just returned from the Transfiguration, in which it was revealed to the disciples on no uncertain terms that Jesus is God; as such, this scene coming upon the heels of that event is significant in its juxtaposition.  We don't all know God's will clearly and concisely; a great revelation -- a Theophany, or revelation ("manifestation") of God -- has just been given to Peter, John, and James.  This is, of course, a rare and exceptional event that teaches about the true reality of Christ as Son of God.  But coming down from the mountain, the encounter with the people returns us back to our state of daily worldly life.  We simply don't know God fully; we are full of doubt and fear when we have troubles, and we don't have certainty.  Some would interpret this scene to say that all we need to do is have enough faith in what we are praying for, and it will happen for us.  But we are forgetting, then, that our faith is not about magic.  It's not about special incantations that "work" one way or another.  It's not even really about us; it's about Christ.  What faith must do for us is not to convince ourselves of the inevitability of the outcome for which we pray.  Faith is not about putting faith into what we want per se as if all of our desires define all possibilities of life.  Faith is about trust in Christ.  Let us note that this healing is framed as a spiritual battle, wherein the people and the disciples could not fully trust God in the struggle.  In the scene that follows, Jesus once again asserts to the disciples that He will suffer.  He says, "Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men."  We know Christ goes voluntarily to His death; and yet, in the garden of Gethsemane, He will pray, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  We see His natural human abhorrence of death expressed in a prayer we can all understand, and yet He prays, "Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."  This is trust, and this is faith, that we give our problems to God to find God's way through them.  We pray for what we deeply desire, but keep our hearts in faith that there is so much more that we don't know.  We don't understand why God allows things we call evil to happen.  We don't understand why God allows suffering, and we see so much suffering in our world.  We don't understand why God allows evil in our world, for the evil one, the devil, to continue in influence.  We know the defeat of the devil is in Christ, and the power of Christ, but we still live in the place where we human beings are the battlefield, and we are invited into the midst of this struggle.  We know that death is not the end, but that life in Christ is eternal.  And so, the devil's defeat is done -- and yet conditions in our world still render us in a struggle with temptation and sin and all that goes with it.  A friend is deeply struggling with an ill child.  It seems like things get better, only to take a step backward later, and it truly seems like this affliction works like a demon.  But the power of God is something we should remember as always present.  Regardless of this child's suffering, God has allowed a circumstance in which great glory is on display in my friend as a father, for his love shines through, and the strength of his child shines through.  There are so many people he has gathered together in prayer and care, his love has magnified across a great swathe of people who pray and who follow the illness of this child.  Of course, we don't know the outcome.  But one thing is quite certain, if even Jesus prays, "Nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done," then so this should also accompany our prayers and our love.  For God's vision is always beyond ours, and our blessings are things we don't necessarily know nor grasp.  When Jesus teaches us about faith, this is what we need to remember:  that the God who loves us is the God who brought defeat of death about through death, that even the suffering of Crucifixion made possible through faith the glory of Resurrection shared and offered to us all.  Let us remember what faith is, even in the worst of times, and add faith in God to all that we do and desire.  Finally in our reading today, the disciples dispute and wish to be the greatest.  But Jesus must set them straight on exactly what greatness is, and it's not on the world's terms.  Neither is it on their terms, there are others who act in His name who do not follow with them.  The final lesson in our reading remains that of humility before God.  Let us know that even when God's outcome is not the one that we desire or expect as "good," we will find we are blessed nonetheless through the struggle in our faith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me

 

 Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God.  You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."  So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.

And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed you."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many ties more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."

 

- Luke 18:15–30 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.  I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

 

  Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.  Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it."  My study Bible comments that infants are the standard of faith by which adults receive the kingdom of God, and not the other way around.  It quotes the commentary of Theophylact:  "A little child is not arrogant, he does not despise anyone, he is innocent and guileless.  He does not inflate himself in the presence of important people, nor withdraw from those in sorrows.  Instead, he lives in complete simplicity." 

Now a certain ruler asked Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God."  My study Bible comments that this young ruler comes to Christ not to test Him, but to seek advice from one he considers no more than a good Teacher.  Jesus' response does not deny that He is God, but is rather designed to lead the rich man to this knowledge. 

"You know the commandments:  'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not bear false witness,' 'Honor your father and your mother.'"  And he said, "All these things I have kept from my youth."   According to my study Bible, normal observance of commandments doesn't make a person righteous before God.  

So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing.  Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."  But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich.  To be perfect, my study Bible notes, one must willingly sacrifice all follow Christ.  Nothing is gained, it says, unless this sacrifice is given freely.  Importantly, it notes that the specifics of how one follows Christ will be different for each person.  Because wealth had such a grip on this rich man, his only hope was to sell and give away all his possessions.  St. John Chrysostom says that to give away possessions is the least of Christ's instructions here.  To follow Him in all things is a far greater and more difficult calling. 

 And when Jesus saw that he became very sorrowful, He said, "How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."  And those who heard it said, "Who then can be saved?"  But He said, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."   My study Bible tells us that there have been various interpretations suggested for this impossible image of a camel going through the eye of a needle.  Some have saig that the word was not camel, but a word that means "rope" in Aramaic; or that the eye of a needle was the name for a city gate so small that a camel might barely squeeze only if it were first unloaded of all its baggage, which symbolizes wealth.  The Talmud uses the expression "for an elephant to go through the eye of a needle."  My study Bible comments that, whatever this phrase refers to, it displays the impossibility of salvation for those who are attached to riches.  It says that this is clearly evidenced by the disciples' response, "Who then can be saved?"  Yet by God's grace, even what is impossible to human beings can come to pass.  

 

  Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and fallowed you."  So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many ties more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life."  My study Bible indicates that Christ is not commanding believers to divorce spouses and abandon children.  According to St. John Chrysostom, it notes, this refers to keeping faith under persecution even if it means to lose one's family.  Moreover, it means to accept that unbelieving family members may cut off ties because of the believer's faith (see 1 Corinthians 7:12-16).  Believers are promised a hundredfold of houses and relatives not in an earthly sense, but in a spiritual sense -- the fathers and mothers of the Church, our brothers and sisters in Christ, and houses of worship and fellowship.  

Jesus gives us an image of the Cross in today's reading.  It is the Cross that leads to life, and in teaching this rich young ruler to sell his great possessions, and distribute them to the poor, Jesus is teaching this man about eternal life, and how to find it.  Even though he is perfect in following the commandments, this alone will not give him the eternal life he asks for.  St. Mark's Gospel tells us that, "Jesus, looking at him, loved him" (Mark 10:21) as He gives this advice to sell what he has and give to the poor.  We have come across this idea already several times in Luke's Gospel, regarding this type of exchange in which the good that we do in this world through charitable help to the poor becomes a currency of wealth in the kingdom of God, a treasure in the heavens.  As such, Jesus teaches this rich man the same principle.  But. St. Chrysostom also has an important contribution to make here in this particular case, when he suggests that to give away his possessions is the least of the commands of Christ; and indeed, this is, in the telling of the story, merely the first stepping stone to following Christ for this young ruler.  There's a popular expression one may have heard, that it's not in having possessions that there is danger, but in those possessions having us.  That is, it's more than likely that this man's possessions are linked to his status in his society and even an inherited wealth, for he is a ruler as described in the Gospel.  This may indicate that he was from one of the priestly landowning classes in Jesus' society of the time, a young member of the ruling Council, with inherited wealth being integral to his identity.  Jesus will know what will be required of His followers when He is persecuted and sent to the Cross, and what will come after His Passion.  Therefore, to be truly free to follow Christ, this young ruler would quite likely have to be free enough to leave behind the same things St. Peter and the apostles have, and will go on to leave after Pentecost when the gospel is spread to all the world.  In this quite tangible sense, this young ruler must allow himself to be freed of his great possessions to truly follow Christ in all things.  My study Bible is wise to suggest that the cross of each one of us is separate; each one will find things that bind us and form a stumbling block to following where Christ leads us to go -- and I would venture to say that each one must make that sacrifice in order to be truly free to do so (see John 8:32).  Finally, let us consider the love we're called to with Christ.  This is a love that asks total trust, and the freedom to truly love.  One sacrifices for what one truly loves, whether that be a spouse, a child, a parent who needs care, a friend, or a loved one of any kind.  Christ calls us to a depth of relationship of this type of reliance and of love.  He will go to the Cross out of love for each one of us; our love in return will be given with our own sacrifices from the heart, and in so doing we find ourselves, that our joy may be full.
 

 

Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

 

 At 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 

 

Yesterday we read that while Jesus and the disciples were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"   Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "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 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."  My study Bible comments that this question, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" is an indication of a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and in so doing emphasizes the virtues which are required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  These virtues are named by my study Bible as humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  In Orthodox iconography, it says, St. Ignatius of Antioch is shown as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he is the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).  

"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."  Little ones, my study Bible says, include all who have childlike humility and simplicity, all who are poor in spirit.   

 

"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."  See also Matthew 5:29.   Jesus is referring to a type of emergency operation, in which a diseased body part must be removed in order to save the body from spreading infection or disease.  He is using such as an illustration of decisive action to avoid sin, and how dangerous sin -- that which causes offenses -- is to the soul.  My study Bible adds that this also applies to harmful relationships which must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

What are offenses, and what does Jesus mean by this?  Let us begin with the question asked by the disciples:  "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  My study Bible calls it a selfish interest in worldly power.  If we compare the kingdoms of the world (or even the states of today), we understand the pursuit of power -- and therefore position -- to be the primary aims of those involved, the "great ones" or "greatest" who rule.  But greatness for Jesus Christ has another definition, which has hopefully touched our world to some extent, and given us concepts of rule that involve more than simply conquering and exploiting.  Perhaps the disciples understand that the Kingdom to come will be like a worldly kingdom; perhaps they misunderstand what it means that Christ will be raised at the third day following His Passion.  This would coincide with the popular expectations of the Messiah.  But Jesus must make them understand what kind of Kingdom they must serve and how they must serve it.  Most importantly, He gives us the concept of greatness.  But in so doing, He begins, importantly, with what they must do and not do as those who wish to be great.  They must first be "converted and become as little children," for without this there is no entry into this kingdom of heaven!  "Therefore," Jesus says, "whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."   This is an upside down image of the kind of worldly power the disciples know from the empires and kingdoms around them.  How can being humble as a little child make one the greatest?  Then Jesus leads them into an understanding of His version of leadership.  Jesus' first and highest priority is the little ones who in faith will come to them in His Church:  "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!"  Exploitation, false teaching, leading the little ones astray, offenses that cause them to be lost, will meet with the severest punishment.  Jesus proclaims woe to those who cause such offense.  This is an image of leadership in stark contrast to figures we can read about in the Gospels, like Herod Antipas or his father Herod the Great.  And then comes what is perhaps the most powerful teaching of all:  "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."  Jesus is using the image of a body part that needs amputation to illustrate the power of our habits which cause offense, harm, abuse to others; and in this case it is in the context of using power over those who are "little ones" in our world.  That is, those who come in humility and faith -- trust -- into the Church and under their care.  A hand or foot can strike one less powerful, either one can stray where it's not wanted, cross boundaries that shouldn't be crossed, reach out to take or steal what doesn't belong to it.  An eye can gaze with envy, with covetousness, with hatred and rage, with the desire to control or to exploit.  What Jesus is speaking about is the internal life of a person, and how essential it is that we know ourselves, our flaws, and be willing to take decisive action to cut from ourselves the habits and impulses that lead to the offenses He condemns.  And this then becomes the definition of leadership -- the capacity to sacrifice the things we might even hold dear, the habits of a lifetime that are  hard to break, and cast them from ourselves in order to make greatness meaningful in terms of serving God.  This in turn is discipleship.  That is, it is the discipline which He asks of His disciples, and in turn of us.  What we should note at this stage is that Jesus is ultimately most concerned with the "little ones" who will be in the care of these future apostles and bishops of the Church.  He is teaching them how greatness is connected to the qualities of God which are most highly associated with grace and mercy, the extension of care and compassion.  In terms of the ways that power -- especially state power -- worked in Jesus' time, this is a powerful antidote to its frequent and even normative abuses.  Caesar's "greatness" was concerned with how many he had conquered, even killed in battle.  Christ offers a different greatness, and one which would come to revolutionize the world, bringing institutions of care and compassion such as hospitals and charitable behavior into social life.  But for now, let us pay close attention to Christ's most powerful admonitions which come in the form of prophesying "woe" for those by whom abuses to the little ones in the Church come.  It is a word we need to pay attention to today, and His teaching about a willingness to sacrifice our own impulses to abusive or manipulative power remains equally necessary as it was then, a reminder about what makes us human beings of truly "great" stature.  In a highly consumerist-oriented society of the modern developed world, we might be easily misled to think that some sort of greatness is measured by how far we can indulge our own desires.  But this is not the greatness described by Jesus.  On the contrary, Christ's greatness depends upon our own discipline and is clearly measured by an internal yardstick of self-mastery in service to something much higher than ourselves.   True greatness in this Kingdom is not measured by our own yardstick but rather taken in the measure that Christ gives us.  Let us endeavor through our lives to take His measure for ourselves, and seek the greatness He gives us.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5).   But this word "meek" has taken on characteristics in modern language that mislead our understanding of Christ's greatness, for Jesus' meekness and gentleness is strength under control, in discipleship and obedience to God, and seeking God's way for ourselves.  Let us more fully seek to embody the kind of strength He gives us through faith.

 

 

 

If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all

 

Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

 

- Mark 9:30–41 

 

Yesterday we read that, returning from the mountain of the Transfiguration, when He came to the disciples, Jesus saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him to Me."  Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, "From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:  "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."  

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  This is the second time Jesus predicts His death and Resurrection (see the first time here).  My study Bible says that He does so in order to show that He is going to His Passion freely, and that He will not be taken against His will.  Note that it is still not the time for this to happen, as Jesus seeks to avoid open conflict -- He did not want anyone to know He was passing through Galilee.

 

 Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."   This question of who would be the greatest likely arises because the disciples have misunderstood about Jesus rising on the third day.  Perhaps they consider that Jesus will then come into a worldly kingdom, and so they dispute among themselves about who would have the greatest place in such a kingdom.  My study Bible comments that the nature of this dispute indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Rather than emphasizing the ideal of greatness in a world dominated by Caesar and powerful kings, Jesus teaches them that even when receiving a little child in His name means receiving Him -- and moreover, to receive Christ means instead to receive God the Father who sent Him. 

 

 Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."  My study Bible cites the commentary of both Theophylact and St. Ambrose of Milan on this passage, for us to consider.  Theophylact sees regret in John's comment, and his conscience pricked by what Christ has just said about being the last of all and servant of all.  But St. Ambrose comments, in contrast, that John expects full obedience to accompany such blessings.  But, my study Bible says, in either understanding, Christ's response shows that those who act in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact writes, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples" (see also Numbers 11:24-30).  On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16. 

 

Once again, it's something remarkable to observe Jesus' careful attempts to conceal His presence, His efforts not to draw attention to Himself.  Here He is back in His home territory of the region of Galilee, and on His way to what some consider His ministry headquarters, the city of Capernaum.  But He did not want anyone to know it.  As we have previously observed, there are times when Jesus wants to withdraw from all forms of conflict, from the scrutiny of the religious leaders. No doubt they would be expecting Him in Galilee, and would have heard of the healing and exorcism He effected, after His disciples could not do so and were disputing with some scribes about it (in Saturday's reading, above).  It shows us how aware He is of the ambitions of the religious leadership to rid themselves of His presence, which they now consider a threat to their authority.  So, on His way back to Capernaum and Peter's home which served as a ministry headquarters, He does not want anyone to be aware of His presence.  For the second time, He also warns the disciples about His Passion to come.  But they misunderstand what is going to happen, notably likely about what it means that He will rise the third day.  While Jesus takes great care to reveal to the disciples what is coming, we observe that He does not rush to His fate, and neither does He seek to make it happen.  Quite the opposite is going on here, in fact.  Everything depends upon the Father's time, and that is the proper time.  He is by no means anxious to spark an open confrontation and manipulate circumstances to force the hand of the authorities.  He is not in a rush to "force" His hour of glory (John 12:16).  And in keeping with this humility and obedience of Jesus, He teaches these men so eager for "greatness" what it is to be truly great, and that their own mission depends upon their capacity for humility and service.  Jesus is teaching them to, in fact, reject common notions of greatness in order to be truly great in His kingdom, and to serve His Church as they must do.  While, thanks no doubt to the influence of Christ's teachings, we have historical cultural values that uplift gracious behavior and humility as the foundation of public good manners, Christ's call to us still asks us to defy common notions of greatness.  We elevate celebrity to high achievement, and in an age of social media, personal publicity is a common pattern with which we might be all too familiar.  Children are measuring themselves by what they see as achievement in social media, none of which may be true or reasonable in the least.  Humility is not seeking publicity for good works or even charitable donations, although that may come of its own merit.  Being kind and compassionate is not simply useful for social value.   Even the Caesars uplifted their public works and called themselves benefactors, as Jesus taught (Luke 22:25).  While it seems not at all obvious to these men what greatness they will find in service and humility, they will in fact build the Church through such virtues, and the central empowerment to such efforts is faith.  Their personal sacrifices in building the Church will result, for example, in the creation of public hospitals.  The first dedicated public hospital in the world was built by St. Basil the Great in the 4th century (369 AD), after Christianity ceased to be persecuted and was established as a dominant religion.  Within a short period, not only were hospitals to become ubiquitous in the Byzantine Empire, but even the science and ethics of medicine would expand as a result.  In our modern perspective of popular media and culture, we are offered so much in the way of both spectacle and also consumer goods that it is hard to imagine the beauty of humility and service in giving through faith in Christ as a way of life.  But nonetheless, we are still asked to build our own integrity upon the values Jesus teaches in today's reading.  Especially in a world with greater than ever material power at its command, it's essential that we understand how we can build better lives and better communities through the intangibles of Christ's values, and especially through this simple practice of coming to see ourselves receiving not only Christ, but God the Father, in those "little ones" in our communities, perhaps particularly in our churches.  Let us consider the greatness that Christ desires, and what might be shaped, especially in a world such as ours today, by His image for us.  His teaching of greatness may seem paradoxical, but it is a paradox that has elevated goodness in the world, and it constitutes the rock upon which we may build our lives, our hopes, and our faith.  

 

 

 

Woe to the world because of offenses!

 

 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly,  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 

 

Yesterday we read that while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to the disciples, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful.  When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"  He said, "Yes."  And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon?  From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"  Peter said to Him, "From strangers."  Jesus said to him, "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 that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, "Assuredly,  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."  My study Bible says that this question, "Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Jesus points to a little child as the model of true discipleship, and thereby emphasizes the virtues required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven.  These are, as listed by my study Bible, humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  St. Ignatius of Antioch is depicted in Orthodox iconography as this child.  In certain legends of saints, he is the boy who gave the loaves and fishes (John 6:9).

"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."  My study Bible explains that little ones include all who have childlike humility and simplicity; all those are poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).  Jesus made similar statements in the Sermon on the Mount, likening the need for decisive action to avoid sin to the necessary amputation of a diseased limb to prevent the death of the whole body (Matthew 5:29-30).  My study Bible adds that this illustration of avoidance of sin also refers to harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties (see Luke 14:26; 1 Corinthians 5:5).

Today is a day in the United States when traditionally families and friends gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, a national holiday declared by President Abraham Lincoln in the midst of a violent civil war.  In President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation we can read his desire that such a day to give thanks to God would help to bring unity and restore the things that make for peace amidst so much loss.  But in that context, we might try to ask what it means to cut off harmful relationships that must be severed for the salvation of all parties, to which my study Bible refers us in Christ's vivid illustration.   Jesus takes the image of a hand, an eye, a foot which is diseased -- it causes one to sin -- and so must be amputated for the salvation of the whole body (in this case, implying the soul).  If we think of patterns of behavior in the terms of Christ's metaphor, we see the genius at work in these words:  a hand can reach out for what doesn't belong to it, it can strike someone, or commit other abuses.  A foot can walk where it is not welcome, trespassing over boundaries that should not be crossed.  An eye sees by beholding beauty or the good -- or through covetousness to look in predatory fashion, or glare with envy and evil upon another (this is what is meant by evil eye), leading to malice and great harm.  These are all examples of offenses, in particular those which are easily done to the powerless, the little ones, those who look up to leadership for guidance, good structure, care, and true shepherding.  In certain relationships, abuses and harmful behaviors only cause "offenses" to spread.  We might have friends who use a lot of drugs, and drag us into a destructive lifestyle.  Or perhaps there are those addicted to gossip.  We might not like it, but we are dragged into the malice of stories about things we haven't seen and don't know are true, things told out of a desire to malign and take down others who might have something good to envy, and without their side of the story.  Have you ever been hurt by a friend who listened to untrue gossip, and then behaved as if it were all true?  Imagine the harm in the eyes of God to treat a friend who's done nothing against you as if they are suddenly an enemy -- based on a lie someone told you.  We see such manipulation happening all the time, even on a grand scale, when false motivations are attributed to someone, when footage is manipulated and projected on social media, when words are twisted to mean something entirely unintended.  Such things go on everywhere -- in the most intimate of circumstances such as within family, and even to the greater scale of nations and the world in international dimensions (and frequently are done deliberately for this effect).  We have a responsibility to separate ourselves and even sever relations, as my study Bible indicates, to stop the progress of such evil things in their tracks.  This is because it is in the nature of such behavior and the things it spreads to progress; they do not remain simple one-time facts or events that have no effect.  It is similar to the spiritual path a person is on:  one is either going in a good direction or one needs to turn around, to repent.  There is no standing still.  Abuse within families leads only to greater harm the more it is enabled and allowed to continue.  Sin spreads and infects more relationships, even transmitting to generations.  Jesus' admonition to act decisively to amputate what is diseased and will in turn infect other parts of the body -- eventually leading to death of the whole body unless severed -- is an important illustration of the ways that sin works among us, within us, and in our communities of whatever size and depth of relationship we can name.  We say that family and friendships, and loyalties of all kinds are cherished and prized -- but not if they spread harm, or horror, or a kind of spiritual disease that does no one any good and only spreads trauma.  If the greater thing that results from being together is more harm, unfair treatment, anger, harsh strife or other new and additional sin, we must rethink what it means to cherish.  We have to consider where we go and what we do, and every word that proceeds from our mouths (Matthew 12:36), because our choices have effects which spread to others, and also damage the souls within ourselves.  We are to seek to live, on the other hand, by "every word that proceeds from the mouth of God," so that we walk a good path, make a  good contribution to the world, and strengthen the good among the relationships we prize and in those whom we love.  Let us be grateful today for the good things we can receive and share, and the power to discern what we do not want, for the greater good of us all.

 

 

 

 

Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me

 

 Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.

Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

 

- Mark 9:30–41 

 

 Yesterday we read that when Jesus came to the disciples (as He, James, John, and Peter came down from the Mount of the Transfiguration), He saw a great multitude around them, and scribes disputing with them.  Immediately, when they saw Him, all the people were greatly amazed, and running to Him, greeted Him.  And He asked the scribes, "What are you discussing with them?"  Then one of the crowd answered and said, "Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit.  And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid.  So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not."  He answered him and said, "O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you?  How long shall I bear with you?  Bring him to Me."  Then they brought him to Him.  And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth.  So He asked his father, "How long has this been happening to him?"  And he said, "From childhood.  And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him.  But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."  Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."  Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, "Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"  When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it:  "Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more!"  Then the spirit cried out, convulsed him greatly, and came out of him.  And he became as one dead, so that many said, "He is dead."  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.  And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"  So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting."   

 

  Then they departed from there and passed through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know it.  For He taught His disciples and said to them, "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day."  But they did not understand this saying, and were afraid to ask Him.  This is the second time that Jesus predicts His death and Resurrection to the disciples.  See this reading for the first.  My study Bible comments that He does so yet again in order to show that He goes to His Passion freely, and will not be taken against His will.

 

 Then He came to Capernaum.  And when He was in the house He asked them, "What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?"  But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest.  And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all."  Then He took a little child and set him in the midst of them.  And when He had taken him in His arms, He said to them, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me."  My study Bible comments that the dispute among the disciples as to who would be greatest indicates a selfish interest in worldly power.  Christ therefore gives them the example of a little child, as a model of true discipleship.  In this way, He emphasizes the virtues which are required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven; these are (as indicated by my study Bible) humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  Here His emphasis is not simply on service, but also humility and what we know as graciousness -- as it is in receiving even these "least" not only receives Christ, but God the Father who sent Him.

Now John answered Him, saying, "Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us."  But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.  For he who is not against us is on our side.  For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."  My study Bible notes here that according to commentary by Theophylact, John's comment is voiced as a regret, as his conscience has been pricked by Christ's teachings on the first and the last.  But St. Ambrose, on the other hand, sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany such blessings.  But, my study Bible says, in either interpretation, Christ's response shows that those who act in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples.  Theophylact is cited as saying, "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples."  See also Numbers 11:24-30.   On those who use Christ's name without good faith, see Luke 11:23; Acts 19:13-16.

 

In yesterday's reading, we commented on how the focus was on faith, and how faith would be necessary for the future Church.  Here in today's reading, besides the corrective discipline necessary for the disciples to understand the nature of service, we see a hidden emphasis on the grace of the Holy Spirit.  Clearly, this also would have to be understood as instrumental to the future Church.   Although not nominally the subject of Christ's actions in today's reading, we find insight in Theophylact's comment:  "See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples."  Indeed, in speaking of grace, the entire concept of what grace is and does -- and especially of what "graciousness" would come to mean is laid out for us in Christ's response to the disciples self-centered response to His repeated predictions of His death and Resurrection.  Our understanding of grace and of graciousness is always something that needs repeated renewal and awareness in the Church.  For without it, we don't really have Christianity.  This is first of all found most poignantly in Christ's teachings on how the "little ones" are to be treated, coupled with His expression of acts of compassion in His name:  "For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."   In Matthew's Gospel, a similar statement by Jesus emphasizes the gracious care of the "little ones" -- "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42).  Of such is what we know not only as compassion but graciousness.  It is the foundation of what would come to be understood as what constituted "gentleness" (as in a gentleman or gentlewoman), and good manners, social conduct which defines a good society.  If we consider this on a social basis, apart from political movements which would strictly define and limit those to whom we may be "gracious" or "kind" or "compassionate," then we come to see its importance as a social value, in a society structured upon righteousness and peace.  Today's reading begins with Christ's second warning about His death and Resurrection, which possibly leads the uncomprehending disciples to think that a worldly kingdom will soon manifest, in which Christ will rule.  Hence their disputes about who will be the greatest.  Their thinking is in purely a worldly sense, with worldly understanding of greatness.  But Jesus' reply is intended to set this thinking on its head.  Not only is He beginning to correct their expectations regarding an earthly kingdom, He starts with conduct and relationship between persons as the definition of greatness to which they must learn to adhere.  His teachings turns worldly notions of greatness upside down, emphasizing graciousness and compassion -- and especially the treatment of the least powerful, such as a little child.   This is the greatness in His sight, and it should still serve to define for us what makes a person "great."  Christ's description of Judgment, in His parable of the Sheep and Goats, defines even salvation on this basis (Matthew 25:31-46).   For in that parable, it is acts of compassion -- or the lack of it -- that determines judgment by Christ.  So we should, all these centuries later, continue to understand our place in the world as those who would follow Christ.  No matter how many ways the world wants to redefine concepts of justice or righteousness, or even right-relatedness, it is only in this sense that such concepts remain true and meaningful for all of us, for each of us, no matter who we are.  For it is before Christ that we all stand as equals, and before Christ that the true reality of our lives is laid bare.  It is only He, the One who suffered for us, to whom our ultimate loyalty belongs.  Let us follow His gracious teachings for us, which alone offer to each of us the capacity for true greatness, as well as its reward.