Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin would be better off dead…Who are “these little ones” and what is it that had been done to them that would draw such a stern reaction from Jesus? Was Jesus referring to the child whom he had set before them as he taught about service and humility? This would be a logical assumption, considering the fact that children are so impressionable and easily led astray. But I also believe that Jesus might have also taken the opportunity to teach about the other “little ones” of the society. The two scenarios immediately preceding the episode recounted in today’s Gospel reading can help us come up with the identity of these other “little ones.” In the first incident, we see Jesus lecturing his disciples on the importance of assuming the position of a child after he had overheard them quarreling among themselves as to who was the greatest, that is, who ranked highest of them all (Mark 9:33-37). The second incident is the one about which constituted yesterday’s Gospel reading. The disciples’ found themselves being reprimanded by Jesus for their attempt to stop an individual whom they encountered and who was casting out a demon in Jesus’ name yet he was not part of their band (Mark 9:38-40). 
The “little ones” to whom Jesus’ refer, it seems, would include those who are considered “outsiders.” They are those who, because of their status, come last and as such can be easily forgotten or considered irrelevant. Because of the position occupied by them, these “little ones” are vulnerable (St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians calls them those with vulnerable consciences cf. I Corinthians 8:1ff). The “little ones” are those who need love and kindness rather than the kind treatment that the apostles showed the man who was casting out a demon in Jesus’ name. The “little ones” are those who need acceptance for who they are. They are those who need the assurance that all are equally sons and daughters of God. Any action from those in the know (such as the apostles) that would scandalize (cf. I Cor 8:1ff) or cause such individuals to stop doing good/believing in Jesus would therefore be considered a sin.