“Whoever welcomes a little child welcomes me,” Jesus said.

To the question, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of God?’ Jesus’ answer focused on the child and the characteristics that attach to a little child, especially the virtues of humility, simplicity, love and trust. In Jesus’ time, children were not held in high esteem and had no status or social importance! This is why a disciple of Jesus must always be humble, simple, loving and trusting in God!

To enter into the Kingdom of God in the ‘here and now’, we need to participate in the whole re-creative movement, which requires us to become ‘childlike’ in our relationship with God. So, the call to humility is what St. Chrysostom said: ‘Humility is the mother of all virtues.’

In this sense, Blessed Nicolas Barre said, “…that like children, each moment is unique and welcoming”, and so this is the openness in our relationship with God as He is the God of surprises!

This makes the ministry to children, especially the poor, marginalised and deprived, a loving response to Blessed Nicolas Barre’s statement, “Whoever welcomes a poor, abandoned child doubly welcomes Jesus Christ.”