GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 13TH JULY 2016
WEDNESDAY OF THE 15TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
1ST READING: Isaiah 10:5-7, 13-16
PSALM: Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15
GOSPEL: Matthew 11:25-27
THEME:CHILDLIKENESS
According to Alison Gopnik, a professor of Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley, the brains of children are extremely flexible. Consequently “they can change what they think based on new evidence very quickly and easily”. This makes them teachable.
The person and work of Jesus was not always accepted during his public ministry. In fact, in some few verses before the Gospel text for today, Jesus had reproached certain towns that were unresponsiveness to his ministry – “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Mt. 11:21).
There were some who thought they knew too much (principal among them were some scribes and Pharisees) and, therefore, were unwilling to learn anything new, especially from a son of a carpenter. In our Gospel text for today, Jesus compares and contrasts those who had accepted him with those who had refused to accept him – “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and have revealed them to the childlike” (Mt. 11:25).
The word “revelation” from the Greek, “apocalupto”, presupposes that there are certain things in life that have been veiled or covered. Revelation, in this context, is therefore a divine act of uncovering that which is covered. God is the one who reveals and he chooses HOW to reveal.
Sometimes, prejudice and quick judgements rob us of our childlikeness and consequently our ability to receive revelation from the Lord. For example, someone stands up to share the word of God. Instead of listening to the content of what the person is saying, we may erect obstacles with questions like: Who is he? Is he an ordained priest? Does he have an academic degree? Etc. We chose to “decide” for God how he should reveal himself to us, forgetting that God can choose to give a revelation even through an animal (cf. Nb. 22:28-33).
There is a child in everyone of us. We can choose either to lock that child up in the dungeon of our pride or choose humility and give that child an opportunity to learn the truth that God reveals in the person of Jesus Christ.
Eternal Father, forgive me for the pride that blinds me from seeing the truth that you uncover daily in my life. Like a child on its mother’s lap, I yield myself to you in humility to be taught anew. May Jesus, the Truth, lead me to discover the truth that brings freedom. Amen
Fr. Andrews Obeng, SVD
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)