Homily for Tuesday of the 19th Week in Ordinary Time

People's questions often indicate their priorities. In today's Gospel passage, the disciples asked Jesus, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" This question suggests their special interest in status and rank.

In response Jesus called a child over and placed it in their midst; He then told them that they must become like that child merely to enter the kingdom of heaven, never mind becoming the greatest in the kingdom.

Jesus instructed His disciples to become child-like in the sense that a child trusts a loving parent. Such a trust awaits everything from God and seizes nothing, including status and rank.

True greatness comes to those who make themselves as reliant on God as children are on adults for their well-being. Jesus' response to the question of His disciples reflects the first beatitude that He had told them about earlier in Matthew's Gospel, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."