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Contemplating today's Gospel

Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)

Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading (Exod 3:1-6.9-12): Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There an angel of the Lord appeared to him in fire flaming out of a bush. As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush, though on fire, was not consumed. So Moses decided, «I must go over to look at this remarkable sight, and see why the bush is not burned».

When the Lord saw him coming over to look at it more closely, God called out to him from the bush, «Moses! Moses!». He answered, «Here I am». God said, «Come no nearer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your father», he continued, «the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. The cry of the children of Israel has reached me, and I have truly noted that the Egyptians are oppressing them. Come, now! I will send you to Pharaoh to lead my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt». But Moses said to God, «Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?». He answered, «I will be with you; and this shall be your proof that it is I who has sent you: when you bring my people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this very mountain».
Responsorial Psalm: 102
R/. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the Lord, o my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

The Lord secures justice and the rights of all the oppressed. He has made known his ways to Moses, and his deeds to the children of Israel.
Versicle before the Gospel (Cf. Mt 11:25): Alleluia. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom. Alleluia.
Gospel text (Mt 11:25-27): At that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

“You have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike”

Fr. Raimondo M. SORGIA Mannai OP (San Domenico di Fiesole, Florencia, Italy)

Today, the Gospel offers us the opportunity to accede, so to speak, to the very structure of the divine wisdom. Who, amongst us, would not love to become acquainted with the unfathomable mysteries of life? There are enigmas the world's best team of investigators would not even dream of detecting. There is One however before which “there is nothing hidden… nothing is secret” (Mk 4:22). This is the mystery of who calls himself the “Son of man”, inasmuch He says about himself: “All things have been handed over to me by my Father” (Mt 11:27). His human nature —through the hypostatic union— has been assumed by the Person of the Word of God: He is, in short, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, before which darkness does not exist and for which, night is more luminous than broad daylight.

An Arab proverb says: “If in a pitch black night a black ant climbs over a black wall, God sees it.” There are neither secrets nor mysteries for God. There are mysteries for us, but not for God, before whom, past, present and future are open and dug into, to the last comma.

Quite pleased, the Lord says today: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike” (Mt 11:25). Indeed, because no one could pretend to know these or similar hidden secrets, not even by bringing them out of the darkness through exhaustive studies, or as the wisdom should. A little old aged woman, without any school experience, will always be more aware about the deep secrets of life than the pretentious scientist that has spent an awful lot of money at reputed universities. Certain science can be achieved through inner faith, humility and poorness. Clement of Alexandria brilliantly wrote: “Night is favorable for mysteries; it is then when our soul —attentive and humble— turns on itself while pondering over its condition; it is then when it finds God.”

Thoughts on Today's Gospel

  • “I am a very little soul who can only offer very little things to God.” (Saint Therese of Lisieux)

  • “It is part of the mystery of God that he acts so gently. God does not overwhelm with external power, but gives freedom” (Benedict XVI)

  • “A humble and trusting heart that enables us ‘to turn and become like children’ for it is to ‘little children’ that the Father is revealed (Cf. Mt 11:25)” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Nº 2785)