Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 391
Reading 1
Isaiah 10:5-7, 13b-16
Thus says the LORD:
Woe to Assyria! My rod in anger,
my staff in wrath.
Against an impious nation I send him,
and against a people under my wrath I order him
To seize plunder, carry off loot,
and tread them down like the mud of the streets.
But this is not what he intends,
nor does he have this in mind;
Rather, it is in his heart to destroy,
to make an end of nations not a few.
For he says:
“By my own power I have done it,
and by my wisdom, for I am shrewd.
I have moved the boundaries of peoples,
their treasures I have pillaged,
and, like a giant, I have put down the enthroned.
My hand has seized like a nest
the riches of nations;
As one takes eggs left alone,
so I took in all the earth;
No one fluttered a wing,
or opened a mouth, or chirped!”
Will the axe boast against him who hews with it?
Will the saw exalt itself above him who wields it?
As if a rod could sway him who lifts it,
or a staff him who is not wood!
Therefore the Lord, the LORD of hosts,
will send among his fat ones leanness,
And instead of his glory there will be kindling
like the kindling of fire.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 94:5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 14-15
R. (14a) The Lord will not abandon his people.
Your people, O LORD, they trample down,
your inheritance they afflict.
Widow and stranger they slay,
the fatherless they murder.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
And they say, “The LORD sees not;
the God of Jacob perceives not.”
Understand, you senseless ones among the people;
and, you fools, when will you be wise?
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
Shall he who shaped the ear not hear?
or he who formed the eye not see?
Shall he who instructs nations not chastise,
he who teaches men knowledge?
R. The Lord will not abandon his people.
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R. The Lord will not abandon his people
Alleluia
Matthew 11:25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Rejoicing at the Gift of Faith
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.” Matthew 11:25
This passage is in stark contrast to the passage just before it in which Jesus chastised the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum for not repenting and believing in Him. And as soon as Jesus issued those rebukes, He turned His eyes to Heaven and offered praise to the Father for revealing the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who were “childlike.”
One of the greatest threats to a pure and childlike faith is intellectual pride. Those who consider themselves as “wise and learned” are often tempted to rely upon their own reasoning abilities to come to conclusions and beliefs in life. The problem is that even though the matters of our faith are fully reasonable, they go beyond the conclusions that human reason alone can achieve. We cannot figure out God by ourselves. We need the gift of faith for that, and the gift of faith begins with a spiritual communication from God through which He reveals to us Who He is and what is true. Only the childlike, meaning, those who are humble, are able to hear this form of communication from God and respond.
This passage also reveals to us that Jesus passionately rejoices in this form of humble faith. He gives “praise” to the Father in Heaven for witnessing such faith, because Jesus knows that this form of faith originates from the Father.
In your life, it is important that you regularly ponder whether you are more like the wise and learned or like those who are childlike. Though God is an infinite and incomprehensible mystery, He must be known. And the only way we can come to know God is if He reveals Himself to us. And the only way God will reveal Himself to us is if we remain humble and childlike.
As we come to childlike faith, we must also imitate the praise that Jesus offered the Father for the faith that He witnessed in the lives of His followers. We, too, must turn our eyes to those who clearly manifest this pure knowledge of God by the gift of faith. As we see this faith lived, we must rejoice and offer praise to the Father. And this act of praise must be given not only when we see faith alive in others, it must also be given when we see the gift of faith grow within our own soul. We must foster a holy awe of what God does within us, and we must rejoice in that experience.
Reflect, today, upon Jesus giving praise to the Father as He witnesses the faith born in the hearts of His followers. When Jesus looks at you, what does He do? Does He issue chastisements? Or does His Sacred Heart rejoice and give praise for what He sees. Give joy to the Heart of Christ by humbling yourself to the point that you, too, are counted among the childlike who truly know and love God.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
CATCHING THE EYE OF GOD
“Shall He Who shaped the ear not hear? Or He Who formed the eye not see?” —Psalm 94:9
Jesus looks at our culture of death, and what catches His eye is not “the learned and the clever” who do not know Him but the little people who believe in Him (Mt 11:25). When Jesus sees the nations raging, the peoples uttering folly, the kings of the earth rising up, and the princes conspiring together against Him (Ps 2:1-2), the Lord “Who is throned in heaven laughs” (Ps 2:4). The Lord keeps His sense of humor because “the eyes of the Lord roam over the whole earth, to encourage those who are devoted to Him wholeheartedly” (2 Chr 16:9). He looks for that remnant who love Him enough to worship Him in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:23). The Lord’s remnant is so precious to Him that they outweigh in His eyes a whole culture of death (see Gn 18:23ff). We are the apple of His eye (Ps 17:8). In the Lord’s eyes, a few good apples dwarf entire orchards of sin.
Jesus is looking at you. You can make Him laugh — even in a lamentable world. Be holy. Love the Lord. He is looking at you. Let Jesus smile at you and break out into laughter. Jesus is looking at you.
Prayer: Jesus, make me “a sight for sore eyes.”
Promise: “No one knows the Son but the Father, and no one knows the Father but the Son — and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.” —Mt 11:27
Praise: Connie majored in Education at a Catholic college where they prayed before every class.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The Gospel of today throws light on two prominent aspects of Jesus’ Prayer: Firstly, Jesus begins his prayer by giving thanks to the Father because he knew the abundance of the Father’s mercy. When we can plainly witness divine intervention in our lives, appreciation emanates from our heart. Secondly, Jesus praises God for withholding his message from the wise and understanding people and revealing it to mere children. God reveals Himself to the simple, uneducated people from all walks of life. It is those who are aware of their own need, their own poverty before God, who will be open to whatever God wants to communicate to us through His Son. To Know God is to approach Him, like a ‘little one’ with total trust and confidence. We can know a lot about God but do we have a real intimate experience of Him?
Prayers
My rejoicing Lord, You are attentive to the workings of grace in every human heart. As You see the Voice of the Father speaking to Your children, You rejoice at such a sight. Dear Lord, I pray that my own heart will be the cause of Your joy and Your praise of the Father in Heaven. Please speak to me and help me to believe with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from receiving your word with trust and humble submission.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 198: The Mercy of True Empathy
The lack of true heartfelt empathy is a clear sign of a certain psychological, emotional and even spiritual disorder. This is mentioned because the opposite is true also. The presence of true heartfelt empathy is a sign that one is psychologically, emotionally and spiritually healthy. Empathy means that you are aware of the other. You sense when someone is hurting or when they are joyful. Furthermore, you feel the pain they feel and experience the joy that they experience. This is an act of mercy in your heart flowing from the Mercy of God. (See Diary #1039).
Reflect, today, upon your empathy or lack thereof. What takes place within your mind, heart and emotions when you encounter either the joys or the sufferings of another. Do you walk right past them, not caring and not engaging them? Or do you see their humanity, recognize their dignity, and treat them with care, compassion and respect? Empathy is ultimately all about the dignity of each and every person and our ability to acknowledge that dignity through our thoughts, feelings, words and actions. Try to honestly look at your own empathy today and if you are surprised at a lacking in this area, look deeper at the reason why. Do not be afraid to admit to this lacking and do not be afraid to seek its remedy. But if you see yourself blessed with a heart of compassion, filled with an awareness of the other, then rejoice because your heart is sharing in and dispensing the Mercy of God.
Lord, I pray that my heart will become an instrument of Your own merciful Heart. In any way that I lack the empathy and compassion flowing from Your Heart, bring me healing. And in every way that I have been blessed to experience the struggles and joys of others on account of sharing in Your Mercy, I thank You. Lord, my deep desire is to share in Your life and love so that my heart may become like unto Yours. Jesus, I trust in You.
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