Reading 1: Job 38:1, 12-21; 40:3-5
The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:
Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morning
and shown the dawn its place
For taking hold of the ends of the earth,
till the wicked are shaken from its surface?
The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,
and dyed as though it were a garment;
But from the wicked the light is withheld,
and the arm of pride is shattered.
Have you entered into the sources of the sea,
or walked about in the depths of the abyss?
Have the gates of death been shown to you,
or have you seen the gates of darkness?
Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?
Tell me, if you know all:
Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,
and where is the abode of darkness,
That you may take them to their boundaries
and set them on their homeward paths?
You know, because you were born before them,
and the number of your years is great!
Then Job answered the LORD and said:
Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?
I put my hand over my mouth.
Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;
though twice, I will do so no more.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1-3, 7-8, 9-10, 13-14ab
R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Alleluia: Psalm 103:21
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Bless the LORD, all you angels,
you ministers, who do his will.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10
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 humbles himself 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.”
Meditation
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,
The Word of God invites us today to contemplate two essential realities of our spiritual life: the greatness of God and the littleness of human beings.
In the first reading, God speaks to Job from the midst of the storm. He asks him a series of questions that reveal the immensity of creation: “Have you ever, in your lifetime, commanded the morning?” “Have you reached the sources of the sea?” Faced with these questions, Job becomes aware of his limitations and humbly acknowledges: “I am so small; what can I answer you? I put my hand over my mouth.”
Job understands that he cannot know everything, control everything, or explain everything. He discovers that God is infinitely greater than his human reasoning. We too sometimes want to understand everything. We look for explanations for our suffering, we want to control our future, and we would like God always to act according to our expectations. When things do not happen as planned, we may even begin to question His wisdom or doubt His love.
But this first reading reminds us of an important truth: not understanding what God is doing does not mean that God does not know what He is doing. There are situations in which our intelligence reaches its limits. There are questions to which we do not immediately have answers. Faith does not mean understanding everything; it means learning to trust the One who sees farther than we do.
And this is precisely what the psalm reminds us: “You search me, Lord, and you know me!” God knows us deeply. He knows our thoughts, our movements, our rest, our inner struggles, and even the realities that we are unable to express. Sometimes we may feel alone, misunderstood, or forgotten. Yet no situation can separate us from His presence. The psalmist proclaims it powerfully: even beyond the seas, even in the depths, God’s hand guides us and holds us. We are never beyond the reach of God’s love.
But the Gospel takes us even further. The disciples ask Jesus a question that reveals a deeply human concern: “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” In other words: Who occupies the first place? Who is the most important? Who deserves to be recognized?
This question is not foreign to our daily lives. In our families, workplaces, Christian communities, and even in our Church ministries, we may sometimes seek to be considered, valued, listened to, or placed above others. We want to be important. We want our efforts to be recognized. Sometimes, we even want to have the last word.
But Jesus surprises His disciples. He calls a little child, places the child among them, and declares: “Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” In God’s Kingdom, greatness is not measured by the position we hold, the power we exercise, our titles, or the recognition we receive. True greatness consists in knowing how to become little before God and humble before others.
To become little means recognizing that we need God.
Let us pray
Lord our God, You are infinitely great, yet You know each one of us in the depths of our hearts. Forgive me for all the times when I have wanted to control everything, understand everything, and decide everything without You. Teach me to recognize my limitations and to trust You, even when I do not understand. Teach me to become little, to serve without expecting a reward, to welcome without judging, and to love without despising. Amen.
Intercession
Lord our God, we entrust to You all children, vulnerable people, the poor, the forgotten, and those who suffer because of the contempt of others. Protect them and grant them the grace to meet people who will welcome them with love.
Spiritual Exercise
- Today, I will take a few moments to identify one situation in which my pride prevents me from trusting God or acknowledging my limitations.
- I will perform an act of humility: accept a correction, acknowledge a mistake, ask for forgiveness, or listen to someone without trying to impose my point of view.
- I will pay particular attention to the way I treat people whom I sometimes consider less important than myself.
Rev. Fr. Martial SOH TAKAMTE
