WHO IS THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL?

A REFLECTION FOR THE 4TH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

When the disciples of our Lord asked him the question ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ his answer probably came as a surprise.  He seems to have already answered this question earlier when he very firmly proclaimed these words: “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”  Today, we find ourselves about midway through the Octave of St. John the Baptist.  As we keep our devotions to this greatest of all the saints, the Forerunner of Christ himself, we remain mindful of the important role in the story of our redemption.  “There hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”  And yet, continued our Lord, in spite of being the greatest of saints, “he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

That takes us logically back to the disciples and their question as to who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  If the least in heaven is greater than the greatest saint on earth, how much higher must be the greatest in heaven?  And who is he?  So the answer of our Lord most certainly must have come as a surprise to the disciples.  “He called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

When our Lord prefaces a statement with the words “Verily, I say unto you,” it’s a sign that he wants to emphasize what he’s about to say.  So it behooves us to take notice of what he says.  God wants us to humble ourselves as little children.  We are, after all, the children of God.  But do we really accept that?  That we are mere children?  Certainly, it requires humility on our part to acknowledge that, but it’s an acknowledgment that God wants us to make.  The very acknowledgment itself is a big part of the humility God is looking for.

Our job as parents and teachers is not to make our little children grow up to be like us.  Our job is to be more like them.  Let’s never forget that.  When Adam and Eve bit the apple, they became aware of the difference between good and evil.  Our own awareness of this difference stems from the time we reached the age of reason.  From that moment on, we are on ‘the path’.  The path that we can either climb up, or slip down.  Since we reached the age of reason, we have all done some good things that merited God’s grace and a heavenly reward.  But we’ve also done a barrel full of bad things, which deserve an altogether different kind of reward.  It’s been a difficult path for all of us, so by all means let’s do our best to guide our children so they don’t make the same mistakes.  If you’re a saint, then pull them up after you.  If you’re a sinner, then push them up from behind.  Let them learn from your good example, and let them learn from your mistakes.  Meanwhile, we ourselves must learn from their example of innocence, their absence of guile, their sincerity and sense of justice.  Most of all, copy the complete love and trust they have for you, by having the same for God.