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.
The disposition to receive the revelation of the Father was more like that of children than that of the wise and the learned. But in our own day the docile receptivity of the childlike is seen as a character flaw, a dangerous form of credulity. We tend to imagine that if we fail for a moment in our wisdom or learning that we will succumb to manipulation of others and come to believe all manners of falsehood. We value wisdom and learning that seemingly keeps our beliefs and decisions independent and informed. We look down on those who do not do so as childlike.
For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe (see First Corinthians 1:21).
We are a little misled if we believe that we ourselves have verified every detail of every belief about the world around us. We have actually confirmed for ourselves very little. Most depends on trust. Even in learning about the world the beginner's mind of a child is a better attitude. Yet regarding the world some wisdom is required in order to avoid liars and those who would mislead us, intentionally or not. But the way we come to know God is not the same, for "God is not a man, that he should lie" (see Numbers 23:19). Before him we are called to be entirely childlike and receptive. The way we use wisdom as self-defense in the world must not be employed to protect ourselves from the Lord and what he would teach us.
you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
It wasn't so much that wisdom or learning themselves were problems as that when people came to identity themselves as wise and learned they became closed to revelation. They became cups that were already full and could hold nothing new. There was always the risk that such wisdom and learning would lead to pride as it seemed to with many Pharisees. This gave them an easy out, a way to cling to control of their lives, when Jesus arrived on the scene and threatened to turn everything upside down.
you have revealed them to the childlike.
There were exceptions, those who were wise enough to become childlike, learned enough that they were willing to unlearn in the face of divine revelation. The childlike referred to be Jesus were initially represented by his disciples. But there were also Pharisees who recognized that he taught truth and chose to follow him. The most famous of these, of course, was Saint Paul. But Paul was able to become childlike because he didn't insist on defining himself by who he had been or his past accomplishments.
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ (see Philippians 3:7-8).
We go on to read that Jesus invites us into the mystery of the divine life he shares with the Father. But if we try to navigate here by means of wisdom we will come up short. We must instead remove the sandals of wisdom and learning and come before the revelation of God with the humility of children.
God said, "Come no nearer!
Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place where you stand is holy ground.
In modernity we feel like we are putting ourselves at risk if we become docile and receptive as children. But these are defenses that we must lower in the presence of God himself. To navigate life we feel obligated to pursue a responsible degree of wisdom and learning. But we must be ready to lay it down and even count it as loss as Paul did, that we too may gain Christ.
It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ (see John 6:45).
God desires all to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth (see First Timothy 2:4). We can be assured therefore that the Father himself desires to reveal his Son and that the Son wishes to reveal the Father, not just to some, but to all. Therefore Jesus was not simply condemning the wise to their ignorance. Rather, he was inviting everyone to become what he was: children of the Father, ready and receptive for the infinite goodness that is found in him.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
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