💖 HOMILY - AUGUST 12 💖

First Reading - Deuteronomy 31:1-8 

Gospel - Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14

Today’s readings speak directly to the fears and uncertainties that often grip our hearts, and they call us to trust in God’s presence and to embrace the humility of a child. In the first reading, Moses, after leading Israel for forty years, prepares to hand over leadership to Joshua. He tells the people not to be afraid, for “it is the Lord your God who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you.” These words were not just a farewell speech—they were a reminder that the true leader of Israel was always God Himself.

In the Gospel, the disciples ask Jesus, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” In response, Jesus calls a little child to Himself and says, “Unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Greatness in God’s kingdom is not measured by status, achievement, or power, but by humility, trust, and openness. A child knows how to depend entirely on another, and Jesus tells us that such dependence on God is the very door into eternal life.

And then Jesus reminds us of the Father’s tender care: He leaves the ninety-nine sheep to search for the one that has gone astray. This is not weakness—it is divine love in action, a love that values each person infinitely. The God who goes with us, as Moses said, is also the Shepherd who will not rest until He has brought us home.

These two readings come together to teach us that we can live without fear when we place our trust in God, and that we can draw close to His heart when we embrace the humility of a child. Our strength is not in what we can achieve on our own, but in the One who never abandons us and who delights to carry us back when we wander.

May we have the courage to walk forward in trust, the humility to depend entirely on God, and the certainty that in His eyes, each of us is the one worth seeking.