Wednesday in the 15th Week of Ordinary Time, July 17, 2024

Matthew 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.”

St. Matthew links this praise of the Father for revealing his mysteries to “the childlike” to his praise of John the Baptist and with his remonstration of the Galilean cities which had not repented from their sins despite his preaching and miracles.  Seeing the context for today’s Gospel Reading, we can see that Jesus has John the Baptist first and foremost in mind when he speaks of “the childlike”, and certainly also his Blessed Mother.

“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.”  The Son praises the Father for revealing the mystery of salvation so that even the “childlike” can know and believe in them.  This revelation is public and not secret; it is free for the taking and not costly.  It is for everyone who will accept it no matter their origin or condition.  The Lord says that the Father has not revealed the mystery of salvation to “the wise and the learned”, which is to say that those who are wise in their own eyes reject it.  “The childlike” (the Greek word actually means “child”, “infant”, or “unlearned”) receive this revelation because, unencumbered by pride, they seek the truth, whatever it may be.  The Virgin Mary shows herself to be “childlike” in calling herself “the handmaid of the Lord” and at once carrying out his will.  John the Baptist, shows himself to be “childlike”, walking away from a relatively comfortable life as a Temple priest, wears the simplest of clothing and eats the simplest of food, pursuing the call of God.  The child, hearing his beloved parents calling his name with great love, jumps up from his toys, scattering them, in order to run to them.

“Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.”  It belongs to God’s plan of salvation that people should know it and so he wills to disclose it to them.  He does this so that they may choose to cooperate with it and participate with God in the work of their salvation.  Salvation is not forced on anyone, nor does a person slide into heaven unless he participates in the work: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14, 27).

“All things have been handed over to me by my Father.”  The Lord refers to his authority to reveal the Father’s plan to salvation.  “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.”  The Father’s plan comes to us only through the Son, and the Son knows the plan in its entirety.  This means we can trust that everything the Lord Jesus tells us is true, and he has told us everything we need to know in order to be saved.

We, too, praise the Father for his tender care for us and the salvation he offers us, and we pray that we may be “childlike” enough to receive it with all our hearts.