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 receives me.
[But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe into the world because of 'offenses' for it must need be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed' rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thy eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.]
"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. [For the Son of man is come to save that which is lost.] 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."
The Gospel of the Lord.
It is interesting what is left out of the Gospel reading. The quotations are the Word of Jesus Christ and yet some of that Word is omitted:
"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 receives me.
[But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe into the world because of 'offenses' for it must need be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed' rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thy eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.]
"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. [For the Son of man is come to save that which is lost.]
Pope John Paul II said, "There is no place in the clergy for one who has abused a child in his care." And yet the Bishops' Council meeting in Texas considered whether the words of John Paul II meant one strike and you are out, two strikes and you are out or three or more strikes and you are out.
I remember seeing Archbishop Dolan meeting some elderly nuns, and him opening his arms, this great bear of a man, and enfolding them in his embrace and his love. How much I loved him, and love him now thinking about it, for that demonstration, for that innocent public witness, of the love of the Church.
[David's great] Psalm 139 [on the everlasting presence and power of God].
in four parts: You [the Lord] know me (vv. 1-6), You are with me (vv. 7-12), You created me (vv. 13-18 [13, You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb. {KJ 14, I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works}; my very self you knew; 15, my bones were not hidden from you. When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth. 16, Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped before one came to be.), You are with me (vv. 19-24).
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