The one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest

30 SEPTEMBER (Lk 9,46-50)

The struggle for power is a genetic disease. Man is born with this deficiency of truth in his heart and in his mind. It is enough to read some pages of the Ancient History of Israel and you will realize that even children work with every means to overthrow their father. No one is saved from this disease.

After this Absalom provided himself with chariots, horses, and fifty henchmen. Moreover, Absalom used to rise early and stand alongside the road leading to the gate. If someone had a lawsuit to be decided by the king, Absalom would call to him and say, “From what city are you?” And when he replied, “Your servant is of such and such a tribe of Israel,” Absalom would say to him, “Your suit is good and just, but there is no one to hear you in the king’s name.” And he would continue: “If only I could be appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a lawsuit to be decided might come to me and I would render him justice.” Whenever a man approached him to show homage, he would extend his hand, hold him, and kiss him. By behaving in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king for judgment, Absalom was stealing away the loyalties of the men of Israel. After a period of four years, Absalom said to the king: “Allow me to go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. For while living in Geshur in Aram, your servant made this vow: ‘If the Lord ever brings me back to Jerusalem, I will worship him in Hebron.'” The king wished him a safe journey, and he went off to Hebron. Then Absalom sent spies throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “When you hear the sound of the horn, declare Absalom king in Hebron.” Two hundred men had accompanied Absalom from Jerusalem. They had been invited and went in good faith, knowing nothing of the plan. Absalom also sent to Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, an invitation to come from his town, Giloh, for the sacrifices he was about to offer. So the conspiracy gained strength, and the people with Absalom increased in numbers.

An informant came to David with the report, “The Israelites have transferred their loyalty to Absalom.” At this, David said to all his servants who were with him in Jerusalem: “Up! Let us take flight, or none of us will escape from Absalom. Leave quickly, lest he hurry and overtake us, then visit disaster upon us and put the city to the sword.” The king’s officers answered him, “Your servants are ready, whatever our lord the king chooses to do.” Then the king set out, accompanied by his entire household, except for ten concubines whom he left behind to take care of the palace. As the king left the city, with all his officers accompanying him, they halted opposite the ascent of the Mount of Olives, at a distance, while the whole army marched past him.As all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and the six hundred men of Gath who had accompanied him from that city, were passing in review before the king, he said to Ittai the Gittite: “Why should you also go with us? Go back and stay with the king, for you are a foreigner and you, too, are an exile from your own country. You came only yesterday, and shall I have you wander about with us today, wherever I have to go? Return and take your brothers with you, and may the Lord be kind and faithful to you.” But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, your servant shall be wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life.” So the king said to Ittai, “Go, then, march on.” And Ittai the Gittite, with all his men and all the dependents that were with him, marched on. Everyone in the countryside wept aloud as the last of the soldiers went by, and the king crossed the Kidron Valley with all the soldiers moving on ahead of him by way of the Mount of Olives, toward the desert (Cf. 2Sam 15,1-28).

Jesus does not want these revolts of palace to arise among his disciples. However, they will always arise if they will not let their minds and their hearts be genetically reconstructed by the Holy Spirit. Heart and mind must be meek, small and humble. The Spirit of God must transform them from adults into children. Without this transformation, pride will always conquer heart and mind and there will always be palace conspiracies.

An argument arose among the disciples about which of them was the greatest. Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child and placed it by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. For the one who is least among all of you is the one who is the greatest.” Then John said in reply, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name and we tried to prevent him because he does not follow in our company.” Jesus said to him, “Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels and Saints make us small for the Kingdom of God.