1 In that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?”

2 Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in the middle of them, 3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 5 Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me.

10 See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

12 “What do you think? If a man has one hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine, go to the mountains, and seek that which has gone astray? 13 If he finds it, most certainly I tell you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”

Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 10-12 - World English Bible

Jesus' fourth discourse in Matthew (called the Discourse on the Church) kicked off with a question about rank in the coming Kingdom. Who will be the greatest in God's reign? Who will have the most power, the greatest reputation or the most possessions? The Lord answered with a child, the one with the least standing in ancient society, for in the child, Jesus saw himself. He was the one who came to serve all, so the disciple should do the same, either by imitation or by hospitality.

But, who was the child? Like the figure of Jesus, the child was symbolic for many different people in the early Christian movement. The least could be the neophyte, the missionary, even the sinner who lost his way (in the parable of the Lost Sheep, 18:12-14). Needless to say, believers should not scandalize the child, the least among them, since they symbolize the Kingdom itself.

“Whoever receives a little child in my name receives me.” 18:5

Who is the least in your parish? How have you received that person?