20240717 HUMILITY THE GATEWAY TO UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN FOR US
17 July 2024, Wednesday, 15th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
Isaiah 10:5-7,13-16 |
Assyria's arrogance and coming ruin
The Lord of hosts says this:
Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger,
the club brandished by me in my fury!
I sent him against a godless nation;
I gave him commission against a people that provokes me,
to pillage and to plunder freely
and to stamp down like the mud in the streets.
But he did not intend this,
his heart did not plan it so.
No, in his heart was to destroy,
to go on cutting nations to pieces without limit.
For he has said:
‘By the strength of my own arm I have done this
and by my own intelligence, for understanding is mine;
I have pushed back the frontiers of peoples
and plundered their treasures.
I have brought their inhabitants down to the dust.
As if they were a bird’s nest, my hand has seized
the riches of the peoples.
As people pick up deserted eggs
I have picked up the whole earth,
with not a wing fluttering,
not a beak opening, not a chirp.’
Does the axe claim more credit than the man who wields it,
or the saw more strength than the man who handles it?
It would be like the cudgel controlling the man who raises it,
or the club moving what is not made of wood!
And so the Lord of Hosts is going to send
a wasting sickness on his stout warriors;
beneath his plenty, a burning will burn
like a consuming fire.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 93(94):5-10,14-15 |
The Lord will not abandon his people.
They crush your people, Lord,
they afflict the ones you have chosen
They kill the widow and the stranger
and murder the fatherless child.
The Lord will not abandon his people.
And they say: ‘The Lord does not see;
the God of Jacob pays no heed.’
Mark this, most senseless of people;
fools, when will you understand?
The Lord will not abandon his people.
Can he who made the ear, not hear?
Can he who formed the eye, not see?
Will he who trains nations not punish?
Will he who teaches men, not have knowledge?
The Lord will not abandon his people.
The Lord will not abandon his people
nor forsake those who are his own;
for judgement shall again be just
and all true hearts shall uphold it.
The Lord will not abandon his people.
Gospel Acclamation | Mt11:25 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 11:25-27 |
You have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children
Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
HUMILITY THE GATEWAY TO UNDERSTANDING GOD’S PLAN FOR US
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ISA 10:5-7,13-16; MT 11:25-27]
Life is full of mysteries. Very often, we do not understand the events in our lives. This is particularly true of tragedies. Even happy events fill us with awe, especially when we know that our success and happiness are not due to our doing but through the grace of God. This is why humility is the gateway for us to understand the plan of God for us. And even if we do not understand, we are able to accept them, especially when they are unpleasant or tragic events. Only with humility can we recognize that God is in charge of our lives. Only with humility, can we hand over our lives to Him in confidence, knowing that His wisdom is above our understanding. As Isaiah wrote, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa 55:8f)
For this reason, the Lord said, “I bless you Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do.” The kind of disposition that is required of us is one of childlike trust and awe at the omnipotence and wisdom of God. Those of us who think that we know a lot will never be able to come to appreciate God’s wisdom. This is true in today’s time when many people in this technological and scientific world think that they are all powerful and that they can find the answers and solutions to every problem in this world. They see themselves as the gods of this world, believing that they have all the powers to transform this world according to their own image and likeness. This explains the arrogance of the modern man today. The real idol that is worshipped is man himself. He has made himself a god and would accept no other God except themselves.
Indeed, they are just like Assyria in today’s first reading. They thought highly of themselves because of their military might. They thought they were invincible simply because they had won victory in many battles, including subduing Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. The king boasted of strength and might and intelligence. He said, “By the strength of my own arm I have done this and by my own intelligence, for understanding is mine; have pushed back the frontiers of peoples and plundered their treasures. I have brought their inhabitants down to the dust. As if they were bird’s nest, my hand has seized the riches of the peoples. As people pick up deserted eggs I have picked up the whole earth, with not a wing fluttering, not a beak opening, not a chirp.” Indeed, he was full of arrogance and pride. He thought that his success was all his doing simply because their enemies were crushed by them. He felt great that he had pillaged their treasures.
Yet, the truth is that our success and achievements require the permission of God. This is what people fail to realize. They forget that they are only pawns of God. We are only His instruments. The Lord said, “Does the axe claim more credit than the man who wields it or the saw more strength than the man who handles it? It would be like the cudgel controlling the man who raises it, or the club moving what is not made of wood!” Truly, whatever we do, we are but God’s instruments. We should not claim too much credit for ourselves. If at all, St Paul reminds us that “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2 Cor 11:30) So there is nothing to boast about since all we have and all that we are come from Him alone. We are not all powerful and mighty. We just need an illness or a tragedy in life to strike us down. This was what happened to Assyria when they tried to invade Judah. God struck their military camp with an epidemic and the Assyrian General Sennacherib had to break camp and return home. (2 Kg 19:32-37) So let us be humble servants.
But this was partly due to the faith of King Hezekiah who placed his total trust in God. He trusted in the prophecy of Isaiah that God would deliver him from the hands of his enemy. Hezekiah prayed, “Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God. Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, Lord, are God.” (2 Kg 19:15-19) Humility opens us to faith in God, trusting in His divine providence. This is the key to accepting the plan of God and to embrace His plans even if we do not understand how it could be possible. In the case of Hezekiah, it was inconceivable that Assyria, which was such a powerful nation, and with a great army would not be able to overcome the small kingdom of Judah. But through divine intervention, some tragedy befell them and we read that the king was also murdered by his sons. (2 Kg 19:35-37)
This is why, the scripture readings invite us to trust in God. The psalmist assures us from experience that the Lord will not abandon His people. We might feel as Israel did about their sufferings, and it appeared that God was indifferent to their predicament. The people complained to God, “They crush your people, Lord, they afflict the ones you have chosen. They kill the widow and the stranger and murder the fatherless child. And they say: ‘The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.'” With faith the psalmist assures His people, “Mark this, most senseless of people; fools, when will you understand? Can he who made the ear, not hear? Can he who formed the eye, not see? Will he who trains nations not punish? Will he who teaches men, not have knowledge? The Lord will not abandon his people nor forsake those who are his own; for judgement shall again be just and all true hearts shall uphold it.” We should have greater confidence than those who worship false gods. The gods of the pagans could not save them; only the God of Israel.
Most of all, in the gospel, we are called to trust in Jesus. He will show us the way to find confidence in His Father. Jesus exclaimed, “Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Indeed, Jesus is the revealer of the Father. He is the One who can show us the face of God and His divine plan for us. Jesus knows His Father as He is identified with His Father, sharing in His divine life. However, not everyone can accept Him as the Son of the Father. How could Jesus be one with God since He was a human being? How could God have a Son since God is One? These are questions that cannot be understood by reasoning alone. It requires faith.
Truly, the doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not a doctrine that is derived by logical conclusion. Without Jesus’ revelation of His identity and the inner life of the Trinity, especially in the gospel of St John, we would never know that God is Trinitarian. Reason alone cannot lead us to that conclusion. This does not mean that our belief in the divine sonship of our Lord or the Holy Trinity is simply a leap of faith. It begins with faith but this faith is a credible faith because the life of Jesus, His words and actions, His miracles, especially His death and resurrection, confirm the truth of His words and His divine claims. But this also requires openness to the signs that the Lord gave to us.
A faith that is childlike is one that is receptive and willing to trust. This act of surrendering in faith is more than just blind faith, but in surrendering our lives, God will vindicate our faith in Him. We will see the evidence of what we believe. This was what happened to King Hezekiah when he surrendered in faith to the Word of God that the prophet Isaiah spoke. On this basis too, if we are having difficulties in life, we must surrender ourselves to the Father’s divine wisdom. This is why we must pray for humility and faith. We might find it hard to logically understand His wisdom and divine plan for us. But if we submit in humility, we will come to appreciate His wisdom. This explains why, following today’s gospel, tomorrow’s gospel, our Lord invites us, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11:28-30)
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment