May 12

Even so, it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.—Matthew 18:14.

CHRIST set a little child in the midst of his disciples, and said, Be ye as little children. And, Whosoever receiveth such a little child, receiveth me; and, Whosoever shall offend, shall suffer the utmost penalties. And he was not even satisfied with the comparison of the millstone, but added also his woe, and commanded us to cut off such, though they be in the place of hands and eyes to us. And by the angels again that are intrusted with these mean brethren, he makes them objects of veneration, and from his own Will and Passion;—for when he saith, The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost, he signifies even the Cross, like as Paul saith, speaking of a brother, For whom Christ died;—and from the Father, for that neither to him doth it seem good that one should perish; and from common custom, because the shepherd leaves them that are safe, and seeks what is lost; and when he hath found what was gone astray, he is greatly delighted at the finding and the saving of this.

If then God thus rejoices over the little one that is found, how dost thou despise them that are the objects of God's earnest care, when one ought to give up even one's very life for one of these little ones? But is he weak and mean? Therefore for this very cause most of all, one ought to do every thing in order to preserve him. For even he himself left the ninety and nine sheep, and went after this, and the safety of so many availed not to throw into the shade the loss of one. But Luke saith, that he even brought it on his shoulders; and that There was greater joy over one sinner that repenteth, than over ninety and nine just persons. And from his forsaking those that were saved for it, and from his taking more pleasure in this one, he showed his earnestness about it to be great.

Let us not then be careless about such souls as these. For all these things are said for this object. For by threatening, that he who has not become a little child should not so much as at all set foot in the heavens, and speaking of the millstone, he hath brought down the haughtiness of the boastful; for nothing is so hostile to love as pride; and by saying, It must needs be that offences come, he made them to be wakeful; and by adding, Woe unto him by whom the offence cometh, he hath caused each to endeavor that it be not by him. And while by commanding to cut off them that offend he made salvation easy; by enjoining not to despise them, and not merely enjoining, but with earnestness—For take heed, saith he, that ye despise not one of these little ones—and by saying, Their angels behold the Face of my Father, and, “For this end am I come,” and “My Father willeth this,” he hath made those who should take care of them more diligent.

Seest thou what a wall he hath set around them, and what earnest care he taketh of them that are contemptible and perishing, at once threatening incurable ills to them that make them fall, and promising great blessings to them that wait upon them, and take care of them, and bringing an example from himself again and from the Father.

Him let us also imitate, refusing none of the tasks that seem lowly and troublesome for our brethren’s sake; but though we have to do service, though he be small, though he be mean for whom this is done, though the work be laborious, though we must pass over mountains and precipices, let all things be held endurable for the salvation of our brother. For a soul is an object of such earnest care to God, that He spared not his own Son.

Wherefore I entreat, when morning hath appeared, straightway as we come out of our house, let us have this one object in view, this earnest care above all, to rescue him that is in danger; I do not mean this danger only that is known by sense, for this is not danger at all, but the danger of the soul, that which is brought upon men by the devil.