Tuesday of week 19 in Ordinary Time
Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs
Gospel – Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14
“Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me”. This is an important aspect of our spiritual life which should be taken care. This is also linked to the culture of the times. We want to welcome the big, the great, the famous. We want to invite and welcome great and famous people. But Jesus is saying something different. He is speaking about welcoming a child. We are called to welcome the poor, marginalised, orphans and abandoned. Then we will be welcoming Jesus. And also, it’s important how we welcome. We must welcome in the name of Jesus. Welcoming in the name of Jesus means we must see them first as Jesus sees them. As God sees them. So, the message is very clear. We must welcome the marginalised and the unknown. And before welcoming them, we must learn to see them as Jesus sees them. Then we will be welcoming Jesus always. Let’s meditate: Am I running behind the famous people or am I running behind the marginalised people seeing them as Jesus sees them?
Don Giorgio