Gospel for Tuesday 12/03 the First Week of Lent.

Luke 10:21-24

Jesus 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. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. 22 All things have been handed over to me by my Father. 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.”

      23 Turning to the disciples in private he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

REFLECTION

A long time ago I heard a retreat homily that distinguished between “childish” and “childlike” faith. In this Gospel, Jesus praises the latter and not the former. Childish faith refuses to grow up and refuses to see beyond its own needs and wants. I can often see the childish characteristics of my own faith when I refuse to see someone or something in a different light. I am given all the opportunities I need to see the truth about someone or something, but my own childish view will not allow me to change. I am apt to hang on to my security blankets that make me comfortable.

When I think of a childlike faith my first impression is to adopt the habit of asking “Why?”, “Why?” like a child would over and over to her father. Perhaps this isn’t all that bad. I remember asking my father long series of “why” questions and he would patiently answer them until I had run out of curiosity; at least for the moment. I fully expected to hear wonderful truths and exciting revelations in response to my “why” questions and my father never disappointed. Perhaps Jesus is longing to hear our long strings of childlike questions about his Father. Perhaps He is longing to answer them and be the one to reveal who the Father is to us.

We come to Jesus with all our needs and all our questions and He patiently reveals all the love His Father has for us. The Christmas story is full of humble figures who have benefitted from their humbleness. Realizing how little we actually know and easily turning to Jesus for answers is just another aspect of this humbleness we would do well to cultivate.

Where can I cultivate a humble sense of curiosity this Advent?

Anonymous