Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

 " The best way to know God is humility, and the greatest obstacle is pride."

The heart of God is surely disposed to the simple and lowly.

 

  

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊      　

 Isaiah 10:5-7, 13b-16

Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger,

The staff of my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, against a people who provoke my wrath

I dispatch him to plunder and pillage, to tread them down like mud in the streets.

But the mind of his king is far from this, his heart harbors other thoughts; what he wants is to destroy, to make an end of all nations.

 

"By my own strength I have done this and by my own wisdom, for I am clever.

I have moved the frontiers of people, I have plundered treasures,

I have brought inhabitants down to the dust,

I have toppled kings from their thrones.

 

As one reaches into a nest, so my hands have reached into nations' wealth.

As one gathers deserted eggs, so have I gathered the riches of the earth. No one flapped a wing or opened its mouth to chirp a protest." Does the ax claim more credit than the man who wields it?

Does the saw magnify itself more than the one who uses it? This would be like a rod wielding the man who lifts it up; will those not made of wood, be controlled by the cudgel?

This is why Yahweh Sabaoth is ready to send a wasting sickness upon the king's sturdy warriors. Beneath his plenty, a flame will burn like a consuming fire.

 

Ps 94:5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 14-15  The Lord will not abandon his people.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 11:25-27

On that occasion, Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise you; because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to simple people. Yes, Father, this was your gracious will.

Everything has been entrusted 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.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Reflection:

"Openness and docility."

Simple people are the ones who are more open and docile to God's revelation. Often, they are the ones who can be taught and who can catch good values. In today's Gospel, Jesus praised the Father. He praised the Father because it is to simple people that God reveals himself. We may further reflect on what kind of revelation the Father shows simple people.

 

In this regard, the passage hints at the relationship between God the Father and Jesus. Jesus said that no one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son wished to reveal the Father. The relationship existing between Jesus and God the Father is the fulcrum upon which we can begin understanding divine revelation.

 

Jesus' openness and docility came to be very evident when he was sent by the Father as the Savior of the world. We need to emulate Jesus' openness and docility in our world today. There is an influx of information provided by the internet but it will not enable us to have a glimpse of the divine mystery unless we remain open and docile to God's grace.