Tuesday, 14th August 2018

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

LECTIONARY
414

FIRST READING
EZ 2:8—3:4

The Lord GOD said to me:
As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you:
be not rebellious like this house of rebellion,
but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.

It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me,
in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me.
It was covered with writing front and back,
and written on it was:
Lamentation and wailing and woe!

He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you;
eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.
So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat.
Son of man, he then said to me,
feed your belly and fill your stomach
with this scroll I am giving you.
I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.
He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel,
and speak my words to them.

PSALM
PS 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131

Response: How sweet to my taste is your promise!

In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.

Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.

The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

How sweet to my palate are your promises,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are.

I gasp with open mouth,
in my yearning for your commands.

GOSPEL
MT 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

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.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,
for I say to you that their angels in heaven
always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
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.”

Daily Reflection

14th August 2018

Maximilian Kolbe

Who doesn't cherish the ambition to be "somebody" whom others admire rather than a non-entity?

Jesus reacts to the disciples’ desire for ambition and position in a dramatic way. Addressing their predicament as to who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus places a child in their midst to show His disciples who really is the greatest in God’s kingdom.

Children, in the ancient world, had no rights, position, or privileges of their own. They were socially at the "bottom of the rung", totally dependent on and at the service of their parents, much like the household staff and domestic servants. Jesus elevated a child, in the presence of His disciples, by placing the little one in a privileged position. Thus, through this act, Jesus indicates that the greatest in God’s eyes is the one who is least of all.

It is said that it was pride that changed angels to devils, and humility that makes humans angels!