20240813 LISTENING TO THE WORD OF GOD WITH A CHILD-LIKE HEART
13 August 2024, Tuesday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Ezekiel 2:8-3:4 |
He gave me the scroll to eat and it was as sweet as honey
I, Ezekiel, heard a voice speaking. It said, ‘You, son of man, listen to the words I say; do not be a rebel like that rebellious set. Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.’ I looked. A hand was there, stretching out to me and holding a scroll. He unrolled it in front of me; it was written on back and front; on it was written ‘lamentations, wailings, moanings.’ He said, ‘Son of man, eat what is given to you; eat this scroll, then go and speak to the House of Israel.’ I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and said, ‘Son of man, feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving you.’ I ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey.
Then he said, ‘Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 118(119):14,24,72,103,111,131 |
Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.
I rejoiced to do your will
as though all riches were mine.
Your will is my delight;
your statutes are my counsellors.
Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.
Your promise is sweeter to my taste
than honey in the mouth.
Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.
Your will is my heritage for ever,
the joy of my heart.
I open my mouth and I sigh
as I yearn for your commands.
Your promise is sweet to my taste, O Lord.
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!
Or: | Mt11:29 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,
says the Lord,
for I am gentle and humble in heart.
Alleluia!
Gospel |
Matthew 18:1-5,10,12-14 |
Anyone who welcomes a little child in my name welcomes me
The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.
‘See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.
‘Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray? I tell you solemnly, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.’
LISTENING TO THE WORD OF GOD WITH A CHILD-LIKE HEART
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [EZEKIEL 2:8-3:4: MATTHEW 18:1-5,10,12-14]
Christians believe that the Bible is the Word of God. The authors of the books of the bible were inspired by the Holy Spirit with God as the divine author. God used them not as mere transcribers but to employ their knowledge, histories, personalities and peculiar styles to transmit the divine message. For this reason, the bible is accepted as inerrant, that is, free from doctrinal errors. St Paul wrote, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:16f)
Unfortunately, in a world of moral relativism and individualism, even Christians do not take the Word of God seriously. Even if they externally profess their faith in the bible as the Word of God, they would try to interpret the scriptures to suit their lifestyle, instead of conforming their lifestyle to the Word of God. St Paul warned us, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom 12:2) Indeed, we pay only lip service to the Word of God. This was certainly the case of the Israelites during the time of the prophet Ezekiel. As the Lord said, they were rebels against the covenant of Moses and broke His commandments. Both the Kings and the nobles refused to listen to the prophets whom God sent to speak His word.
Instead, they listened to the false prophets who did not speak the Word of God but the words of man. They spoke to please their listeners. They prophesied good news for Israel and told them their enemies would not be able to overcome them. They gave them false hope and encouraged the people to continue to live a sinful life. True prophets, however, only speak the Word of God. They would only speak what God instructs them to speak, without fear or favour. That was what the Lord told Ezekiel, “Son of man, go to the House of Israel and tell them what I have said.” This was what the Lord told Ezekiel to do. “Open your mouth and eat what I am about to give you.” A hand stretched out to him and gave him a scroll “written on back and front; on it was written lamentations, wailings, moanings.” Ezekiel was given a message to warn his people of the imminent disasters ahead of them. Some would be killed, others would suffer and be exiled. They would lose everything, the Temple and the kingdom. Such was the unpleasant message that Ezekiel had to deliver.
In saying this, we would need to ask, who is the true prophet? Clearly, we can be true prophets of God only if we have heard the Word of God, assimilated and interiorized His message. This was what the Lord commanded Ezekiel. “He said, ‘Son of man, eat what is given to you; eat this scroll, then go and speak to the House of Israel.’ I opened my mouth; he gave me the scroll to eat and said, ‘Son of man, feed and be satisfied by the scroll I am giving you.'” We must not just listen but eat, digest and assimilate His word. Unless we have tasted the Word of God, relished its wisdom and truth like Ezekiel who “ate it, and it tasted sweet as honey”, we will not find the strength, the passion and zeal to announce the Word of God to others.
Indeed, hearing the Word of God with faith and docility is the first step towards doing. Of course, the measure of whether we have listened to the Word of God is when we carry out His Word. St James reminded the Christians, “Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like.” (Jms 1:22-24) Our response must be like that of the psalmist. “I rejoiced to do your will as though all riches were mine. Your will is my delight; your statutes are my counsellors. The law from your mouth means more to me than silver and gold. Your promise is sweeter to my taste than honey in the mouth. Your will is my heritage for ever, the joy of my heart. I open my mouth and I sigh as I yearn for your commands.” Unless we have arrived at this realization and conviction that His Word is truth and His will is life, we will not take His Word seriously. Before a true prophet or teacher can proclaim the Word of God to others, or teach His Word, he must truly make the Word of God his own.
How, then, can we truly receive the Word of God? We must be child-like in listening to the Word of God. “The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” What does it mean to be child-like? It means to be totally dependent on our Father and trusting Him in everything, just like a child. God is our Father who takes care of us. Knowing that God is our Father, we turn to Him in prayer, in faith and in confidence, listening to His Word and carrying them out faithfully because we know that He is our provider, the source of life and our being. Such an attitude requires a heart of humility. We recognize our limitations in knowledge, understanding and in carrying out His Word.
Only such a child-like attitude can help us to listen to the Word of God and embrace it even when we do not understand or agree with the Word of God. We are not asked to understand the Word of God in order that we may obey it. We obey it because it is the Word of God. This was true of the apostles who were called by the Lord. They immediately dropped their nets or gave up their occupations when the Lord called them. This was true for Peter and the apostles when many of Jesus’ disciples left Him because of His hard teaching on the real presence of His body and blood in the bread and wine. St Peter’s response to the Lord should also be ours when the Lord said to him, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. (Jn 6:68f) We must have the faith of the centurion who said to the Lord, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed.” (Lk 7:6f)
On this basis too, we will not just accept the Word of God but also seek to share with others, especially the young, both in age and those spiritually ignorant, because this is what God asks of us, just as He asked His prophets. The Lord said, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.” We are called to instruct the young people to live righteously because they are God’s beloved. God loves the little ones and we have a duty to form our young people in age and in faith according to the values of the gospel. Failure to do so would cause us to be held responsible for their sins. Worst of all, we cause them to sin by our bad examples, or by misleading them. “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of stumbling blocks! Occasions for stumbling are bound to come, but woe to the one by whom the stumbling block comes!” (Mt 18:6f)
Finally, we must never give up proclaiming the Word of God to others. As St Paul wrote, “proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths.” (2 Tim 4:2-4) As the Lord tells us, every lost sheep is important to Him. He wants us to help Him to seek out the lost sheep. Indeed, “it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all. Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.”
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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