The Word God Spells

Matthew 11:25-27
Ex 3:1-6.9-12 / Ps 103

You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
(Matthew 11:25)

May you be blessed in words and deed,
In trust and faith be reconciled,
From prejudice be truly freed,
As you aspire to be God’s child.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

Reflection

“Little children” who are not wise and learned are usually compensated by having a lot of faith. Human wisdom and knowledge often become stumbling blocks to the deeper understanding of God’s ways. As we grow older and wiser in the ways of the world, we begin to lose the innocence and trusting attitude of a child. Instead, we become “adulterated” by undesirable traits like pragmatism, prejudice, and pride. As these character traits take root, child-like attitudes like humility and simplicity –- attributes that endear us to God -– lose importance and are displaced.

God is stern to the proud, but is kind to the humble (Prov.3:34). That is because God wants us to depend fully on Him, that we may not be swayed by the temptations of Satan who deceives us with the forbidden fruit of false freedom. By the sin of pride the prince of lies had fallen, and by his lies he plays on men’s pride. Only the humble of heart can receive divine wisdom from the Holy Spirit to understand God as our Father, submitting to His Word with child-like trust and humility.

St. Paul gives us a clearer perspective of God’s plans when he wrote: “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God” (1 Cor.1:27-29).

Only the little babes can boast and get away with it. Like the time our two-year old grandson, Julio, showed off his antics by piling some pillows on the floor and jumping from the bed head first like some professional diver. As his Mom and grandma shrieked in fear, he was laughing proudly as he did it again and again, confident that nothing bad could befall him. What joy it is to be a child of God, innocent, trusting, and full of faith.

Lord, give us the simplicity and pure faith of a child, devoid of fear or doubt, but full of confidence in your mercy and love. Take away all our cynicisms and pride which hinder us from following Your ways and words in humble submission. Amen.