The least among you all, that is the one who is great
I think when the disciples asked Jesus who the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is, the least they expected was for him to take a child as an example of greatness. On earth we consider as great people of exceptional merit: renowned statesmen, artists, explorers, conquerors, academicians, scientists, etc. When we aspire to greatness, we usually aspire to excel in one field or another. Probably, the disciples also expected that Jesus would cite some figure that had excelled in holiness and would urge them to aspire to such holiness. They did not reckon with the reply that he gave them.
Jesus teaches us that greatness consists in our relationship with God. Anything that promotes union with God leads to greatness. Jesus tells us that an act of kindness to a child in his name leads to greatness, because it leads to God. “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” Receiving the Father through the Son is greatness.
Secondly, greatness consists in humble surrender. "...the least among you all, that is the one who is great." Towards God we need to have the attitude of a child who receives all, believes all from its parents. In the same way as a child is open to learn and to receive from its parents, so must we be in our attitude towards God in believing what he tells us, and in doing what he commands without question, for in fact, before God we are little children. Surrender empties us of self to allow God to fill us.
In the first reading, we see the greatness of Job tested. God allows him to be tested by Satan, by stripping him of all that he had, all that by which the world admired him. Then suddenly, all is taken from him: his children, his livestock, and his servants. Eventually, even his health will be taken away, as we shall continue to hear his story. Job surrenders to God, and in that consists of his greatness, the passing of the test. He says: “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!”
