Within the culture of that time, children were considered to be among the lowest ranks of society; and because of this, deemed unimportant. This is why the disciples tried to keep the children away from Jesus. Our Lord, however, takes up a small child in His arms to illustrate a point: when a king or president sends an ambassador to another country, that representative is accorded all of the honor and dignity which the actual head of state would have received. Therefore, since each of us is made in the image and likeness of God, if we do not honor with esteem even the least of humanity, how can we claim to truly honor God?
By the way, according to Church Tradition, the young boy that Christ picked up and used as an example is said to have been St. Ignatius - one of the great martyrs of the Church. Having been carried by our Savior as a child, St. Ignatius as a grown man called himself Theophorus which means "God Bearer." Hence, he indicates to us that there must be a connection between being carried by God and carrying God, between being blessed and favored by the Lord and accepting his providence and will in our lives.
Fr. John
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