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Gospel Reading for August 11, 2026 – Matthew 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14
ONLY ONE
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 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.
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.”
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When we desire to be great, nothing is ever enough. After one accomplishment, we immediately seek another—and an even greater one. We can no longer be our true selves because we feel compelled to please the crowd and win its applause. At times, we may even hurt others just to remain on top. We become so afraid of losing our place that we forget how to enjoy life. In our relentless pursuit of fame and recognition, we often push away the very people who truly love us. In the end, instead of lifting us up, the desire for greatness can become our downfall.
The worst part is that the law of gravity always applies: “What goes up must come down.” The higher a person climbs, the harder, longer, and more painful the fall can be—sometimes even disastrous. As we grow older, there will always be others who are younger, stronger, and more talented. This is why many people who were once famous experience deep sadness, a painful loss of self-worth, and even serious mental health struggles when the applause fades and the spotlight moves on.
Jesus teaches us that greatness in the Kingdom of Heaven is very different. To be truly great is to be humble like a child, and to find strength not in ruling over others, but in serving and helping them.
And if we keep in mind that there is ONLY ONE who is truly great—GOD—we will be free to enjoy life as it is meant to be lived: with gratitude, peace, humility, and love.
Lord Jesus, teach us to seek not the greatness that comes from human praise, but the greatness that comes from being pleasing in the eyes of God.
