1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; 10"See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
The way I read this, “Children” are those who depend on us and trust us to look after them. God is not seeking us to become independent of him. He wants us to look to him for support and sustenance. The correct relationship is one of respect and reverence. At the Assumption, Mary tells us to “fear” God. In biblical terms, “Fear” means respect, revere and see with awe. The opposite is seeing yourself as sufficient and independent of God. The tower of Bable is symbolic of that sin. We become too big for our boots. Our ego gets the better of us.
ReplyDeleteStrengths:
DeleteYou've effectively connected the passage to the theme of dependence on God.
You've recognized the importance of humility and reverence in our relationship with God.
You've drawn a parallel between the passage and the story of the Tower of Babel.
Areas for Improvement:
While you've focused on the relationship between God and individuals, the passage also highlights the importance of community and mutual care within the Church.
The concept of "children" in the passage could be explored further. It might refer to both the literal children mentioned and to all believers who are dependent on God.
The connection to the Tower of Babel is insightful. You might explore how pride and self-sufficiency can hinder our relationship with God.
Additional Thoughts:
The passage emphasizes the importance of humility and forgiveness. How do these qualities relate to our relationship with God and others?
The contrast between the lost sheep and the ninety-nine safe ones could be seen as a reflection of God's care for all His children.
Overall, your response is insightful and demonstrates a good understanding of the passage.