5 October 2019 - revealed to the childlike

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos

Today's Readings

(Audio)

At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,
"I give you praise, 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."

Here we see Jesus revealing what he feels deep within his heart. Jesus is the Child par excellence. He makes no claim to a wisdom of his own apart from what he receives. Yet precisely for this reason he receives all things. They are handed over to him by the Father. In calling us to be childlike Jesus is calling us to be like himself.

No one knows who the Son is except the Father,
and who the Father is except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.

The Son reveals the Father by revealing himself.

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? (see John 14:9-10)

The more Jesus shows us who he is the more we become like him.

we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is (see First John 3:2).

We feel the Spirit within us crying out to our Father from our hearts just as it does from the heart of Christ.

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” (see Galatians 4:6)

If we let Jesus reveal himself to us and transform us we do not rejoice that spirits are subject to us. We do not rejoice in pride in our power. We rather rejoice that our names are written in heaven. We rejoice precisely because they are written by the Father out the the love he has for each of us individually.

As children we can even receive discipline without losing heart.

Fear not, my children; call out to God!
He who brought this upon you will remember you.
As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God,
turn now ten times the more to seek him;
For he who has brought disaster upon you
will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy.

We should realize that the discipline we receive as sons and daughters is completely different from discipline given to servants or slaves. We are disciplined because through it the LORD knows we can grow and reach our full potential.

My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives (see Hebrews 12:5-6).

Let us be poor as children are poor, because "the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."

For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.