Chúa Giêsu đến để giải cứu các con chiên lạc lối hay bệnh tật. Ngài sẽ không thể bỏ rơi họ. Người chăn Chiên Lành thì biết những con chiên của họ và và những con chiên của họ biết chủ chăn của chúng. Chúa Giêsu chính là Chúa Chiên Lành, Người đã dám hiến mạng sống của mình cho đoàn chiên của mình (Gioan 10: 14-15). Chúa Giêsu đã hiến chính mạng sống của Ngài cho chúng ta, như Lời Chúa trong Kinh Thánh và trong phép Thánh Thể, Mình và Máu của Ngài đã trở thành của ăn nuôi sống chúng ta. Chúa Giêsu Kitô là Mục Tử Nhân Lành đi trước chúng ta, hướng dẫn chúng ta và chia sẻ với chúng ta những niềm vui của Nước Trời, trong sự hiệp nhất với Chúa Cha và Chúa Thánh Thần.
Jesus never fails to come to the sheep’s rescue. Neither would he desert them. The Good Shepherd knows his own and his own know him. Jesus lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:14-15). He gives himself to us, as Word in the Scripture and in person in the Eucharist. Christ the Good Shepherd goes before us, leading us to share in the joys of heaven, in the unity of the Father and the Spirit.
The disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” Matthew 18:1-5
Divine logic upends worldly assumptions and reveals the gentle majesty of God’s ways, as today’s Gospel makes clear. Worldly wisdom and ambitions of greatness must give way to the Heavenly greatness that God wants to bestow.
The disciples were not immune to ambition. Their question—“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”—reveals that they were still thinking in worldly terms, imagining a hierarchy of honor and status. Though their question was flawed, Jesus does not rebuke them harshly. Instead, He teaches with a gesture: He calls a child and places the child in their midst.
This visual lesson would have been startling. In the cultural context of the time, children were not considered important. They had no legal status, no authority, and little societal recognition. Due to high child mortality rates, a child often was not regarded with full dignity until reaching a more mature age—typically around twelve. For that reason, no adults would have desired to “become like children” again.
Jesus, of course, was not saying that His disciples needed to return to immaturity. Rather, they needed to “turn and become like children.” The word translated as “turn” in this passage implies a complete change of direction—a conversion of heart and mind. This transformation is one of humility, dependence, trust, and simplicity. A child does not pretend to be self-sufficient. A child receives, learns, trusts, and loves freely. The proud cannot enter the Kingdom because pride isolates the soul from grace, whereas humility opens it to divine life.
Jesus then uses the disciples’ struggle with a desire for greatness to further invite them to hear and respond to what He said: “Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.” Perhaps the disciples did not yet understand what heavenly greatness looked like or what it meant to become humble like the child Jesus embraced, but, nonetheless, they desired greatness. By feeding that desire—albeit a misguided one—Jesus sparks within them the motivation to listen and to follow what He taught. Suddenly, humility would have become compelling to them—something to ponder, inquire about, and desire.
Similarly, each of us has many ambitions—some good, some bad, and some neutral. Since Jesus speaks of becoming “the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven,” we should not hesitate to plant that desire in our hearts. Many of the greatest saints and mystics have taught that Heaven is hierarchical, meaning that the saints and angels experience varying degrees of closeness to God. Though every saint and angel beholds the Beatific Vision and enjoys perfect happiness forever, those who achieved the greatest degree of humility in this life are drawn deeper into the mystery of God’s essence, experiencing greater clarity of knowledge and greater intensity of love. This is why Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount to “store up treasures in heaven” (cf. Matthew 6:19–21). That treasure is attained first and foremost through humility—by turning from pride and sin, and becoming little, dependent, trusting, and simple.
Reflect today on the deepest ambitions of your heart. Do you desire greatness in the eyes of God? If so, embrace the paradox of divine logic. The path to the heights of heavenly glory is found in the lowliness of humility. Desire greatness on God’s terms, not the world’s. Be small, and God will lift you up.
Lord of all greatness, Your glory, power, and holiness are beyond anything we could ever fathom, yet You invite us to share in Your divine life. Fill my heart, I pray, with a desire for greatness, not as the world sees it, but as You define it. Make me great in Your eyes by helping me become humble like a child: dependent, trusting, little, and simple. Teach me to love You and others freely and without condition, so that my love may store up an abundance of treasure in Heaven. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, your Son taught us that true greatness is found in humble service. Free me from the desire for recognition, status, and self-importance. Give me the heart of a little child who trusts completely in you and gladly serves others. Teach me to seek not my own honor but the good of my brothers and sisters, so that I may help lead them safely to your heavenly Kingdom.
1. The Sermon on Life in the Church: Today we begin the fourth of the five great discourses in Matthew’s Gospel, often called the “Ecclesial Sermon” because it describes how to live in Christ’s Church. Throughout this discourse, Jesus teaches what relationships among his disciples should look like. They are to reject pride and embrace childlike humility (18:1-5), avoid causing others to stumble (18:6-9), care especially for the little ones (18:10-14), lovingly correct those who sin (18:15-20), and forgive one another without limit (18:21-35). Together these teachings reveal that the Church is not simply another social organization but a family gathered around Jesus, sharing one heavenly Father. Those who live in this way will reign with Christ in his Kingdom. The entire discourse rests upon one foundation: genuine greatness in God’s Kingdom is measured not by intellectual acumen, earthly wealth, or prestige but by humble love expressed in service of others.
“What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” Matthew 18:12–14
It is so easy to go astray. There are many wandering souls who are lost, confused, and in need of the Shepherd. Perhaps there are many reasons for this straying, including the lure of fleshly indulgence, the lure of money, temptations toward pride, anger, and selfishness, confusion, and much more. Today’s Gospel passage is not so much about the fact that people do stray; rather, it’s about God’s desire to win them back.
When a person strays from God, they are left empty. That is the reality of our human condition. The only way to be satisfied in life is to give yourself to God out of love. God and God alone fulfills us. God and God alone can bestow joy and happiness upon us. So when a person is straying and is left empty inside, they have to make a choice. Will they repent of their sins and turn back to God? Or will they continue to seek satisfaction elsewhere?
One of the greatest obstacles to repenting of one’s sins and turning back to God is our pride. It is hard to admit to sin. It is hard to admit we went astray. It is hard to take ownership of what we have done and turn to God for His mercy and compassion.
Today’s Gospel is especially for the sinner who has strayed. It presents us with an image of God that is exceptionally inviting. It’s the image of a God Who goes forth searching for the stray sheep. But the most important image in today’s Gospel is that of the rejoicing of the Shepherd. We must come to realize that when God seeks us out and gets through to us, we should have no shame anymore. God does not condemn the person who has sorrow. Instead, He rejoices and carries that soul back home. Whenever we start to stray in life and give into a life of sin, we must understand this image of God and know that it applies to us.
The truth is that sin is humiliating. And facing humiliation is difficult. But it’s also purifying. And if you are willing to embrace the humiliation experienced by confessing your sin, an endless amount of freedom awaits. Freedom comes especially in the form of God rejoicing and carrying you home.
Reflect, today, upon the holy image of the Good Shepherd diligently searching for you. See His loving desire to get through to you, to reunite with you, to forgive you, and to lovingly carry you home. Allow fear of judgment to disperse. Humble yourself and acknowledge your sin. Admit that you are incapable of overcoming it by yourself. If you do, the heart of the Good Shepherd will rejoice as He lifts you up and carries you to freedom.
Jesus, my Good Shepherd, Your love and compassion are incredible. You are a God of the utmost mercy. Please open my eyes to see You as You are, and dispel all fear from my heart. Please forgive me of my sin, lift me up, and carry me back to Your fold. Jesus, I trust in You.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I need to learn the lesson of true humility. I need to see myself as I really am: with my unique gifts and talents and personality, with my faults and tendencies. Help me to act as your child and as a servant to my brothers and sisters.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The Ecclesiastical Discourse in Book Four of Matthew: Today, we begin to hear the “Ecclesiastical Discourse” in Matthew’s Gospel. It focuses on the kind of kingdom Jesus is establishing. It emphasizes especially the merciful dimension of the Kingdom of heaven. The community that Jesus is assembling is gathered around Jesus as brothers and sisters of the same heavenly Father. “As such they are to be humble (18:1-5), avoid personal sin (18:8-9) and scandalizing others (18:6-7), seek the lost (18:10-14), and forgive those who harm them (18:15-35). The disciples who relate to their brethren in this way will reign with Christ in his kingdom” (Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 225). The discourse begins with a lesson in humility. Peter has been very prominent in the narrative of the last two chapters: Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter; Peter experienced the transfiguration; and the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter. “Perhaps with all the special attention given to Peter the disciples fall into competition and wonder who among them is the greatest in the kingdom that Jesus is about to establish in Jerusalem” Mitch and Sri, The Gospel of Matthew, 226). Jesus teaches that greatness in the kingdom is not measured by power or wealth but by child-like humility.
2. Searching for the Lost Sheep: Christians are to be humble and childlike and not seek the glory of this passing world. They are to see themselves as servants. Jesus illustrates this in two ways. First, he speaks about our guardian angels. On the one hand, the good angels are in the very presence of God and behold the face of the Father. On the other hand, they care for the “little ones.” If angels have such an exalted status – behold the face of God – and yet are entrusted with the care of human beings, how much more should we, who do not behold the face of God while on earth, care for our fellow human beings? The second image Jesus uses is that of the shepherd who leaves the 99 sheep to seek out the lost sheep that has gone astray. Those who are great in the kingdom of heaven seek out the lost sheep, even when they have strayed.
3. The Song of Moses: In the First Reading, Moses is at the end of his life and transfers leadership and authority to Joshua. Allegorically, the death of Moses foreshadows the end of the Old Law, when its altar is left desolate and its sacrifices, priests, and ceremonies pass away. The succession of Moses by Joshua announces the coming of Jesus (the New Joshua), when nations embrace the faith, churches are raised, altars are consecrated by the precious Blood of Christ, and priests minister the Word of God (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible, 321). The Responsorial Psalm is taken from the Song Moses sang in Deuteronomy 32. It foretells how Israel will violate the covenant of Deuteronomy. The song praises the Lord, who is always faithful like a steadfast rock, and prosecutes Israel for her corruption, idolatry, and faithlessness.
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I need to learn the lesson of true humility. I need to see myself as I really am: with my unique gifts and talents and personality, with my faults and tendencies. Help me to act as your child and as a servant to my brothers and sisters.
1. The Prophetic Commission of Isaiah and Jeremiah: When the prophet Isaiah saw the vision of the Lord in the Temple, he confessed himself a man of unclean lips. His lips were purified by a burning coal taken by a seraphim from the altar. Purified of his sin and guilt, Isaiah responded to God’s request for someone to be sent to prophesy to the people: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me’” (Isaiah 6:6-8). The prophet Jeremiah also heard God’s word appointing him a prophet to the nations. He said to God: “Behold, I do not know how to speak; for I am only a youth.” The Lord told him not to worry about his youth, for he would be with him to deliver him from those to whom the prophet speaks. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched Jeremiah's mouth saying: “Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:4-10).
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