SEPTEMBER 28,2026 FATHER VIJAI AMIRTHARAJ
There is a story told of a family that went out to dinner one evening. The menus were all passed to all present, including Molly, the eight-year-old daughter. The conversation was an adult one, so Molly sat ignored. And when the waiter came, and took orders, he came to Molly last.
“And what do you want, young lady?” he asked her.
“A hot dog and a soda,” she said.
“No,” said her grandmother, “she will have the roast chicken, “and carrots, and mashed potatoes.”
“And milk to drink,” chimed in her father.
“Would you like ketchup or mustard on your hotdog?” asked the waiter, as he walked away, taking the parents aback.
“Ketchup!” Molly called out.
And she turned to her family, and added: “You know what? He thinks I am real.”
Sisters and brothers, in today’s Gospel, Jesus presents to his disciples a little child as a model for greatness.
Now to fully understand the unusual force of Jesus’ words to his disciples, we must know the little status that children had in the world at that time. High infant mortality made reproduction and progeny important for the survival of a tribe or a family. But an individual child had no particular significance. It was just another mouth to feed, until he or she was able to contribute for the good of the family.
Our modern notion of children as persons with freedom, with rights and dignity, contrasted dramatically with the former view of children as property, or as servants.
The words of Jesus would have come as shock to his disciples, because, like our own society, they and their society associated greatness with power and might. With achievements, possessions. And this understanding of greatness is what led to the argument among the disciples in the first place.
But when these are taken away, is there anything else that we can be proud of, or feel great about?
We can slowly understand a bit of what true greatness is all about from the words of Job in today’s first reading, after everything he had was taken away from him.
“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, “naked I shall return. “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back. “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Now these words may sound very poetic, but you and I know very well that when it comes to reality, it is a struggle to live it. We know that Job himself did not get to that place of surrender, or that acceptance and trust in God, without so much struggle within himself, and without so much fight with God.
Sisters and brothers, our readings today invite all of us to grow in our humility. In our trust.
However, as with many other qualities we are called to cultivate in our lives, achieving greatness through humility and trust in God is a process. A process that we undertake with the help of God.
I like these beautiful words: “The journey of a thousand miles “begins with a single step.”
Let us continue on that journey towards humility and trust, if we are already on it. And if we have not began that journey yet, let us begin it today, with the grace and help of God.
