I thank you father, Lord of
heaven and earth (Mt 11:25-30)
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, after
reading today’s gospel passage we should feel a lot of comfort in our life. Jesus
is speaking here on behalf of us, thanking God the father and giving us a great
courage. However, If only we go into the background of this passage we will be
able to know really its deep inner meaning and feel the greatness of the real
Guru, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus gives thanks to God the
father for revealing the eternal truth about salvation to the little ones. It
is amazing. Who are these little ones? If
we go through the gospel of Mathew, undoubtedly, we can say they are none other
than his disciples! We read, “If anyone 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
mill stone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depths of
the sea” (Mt 18:6), “Take care that you do not despise one of these little
ones; for, I tell you in heaven their angels continually see the face of my
father in heaven” (Mt 18:10), “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of
the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me” (Mt
25:40).
Let us come to the passage. Chapter
10 of Mathew speaks about the calling, instructing and sending of the 12 apostles
with heavenly powers. Chapter 11 proclaims the great witness of John the
Baptist. Gospel of St. John says,”to all who received him, who believed in his
name, he gave power to become children of God.” Then these little ones are of
course, you and I who believe in him and received him as our Lord and God. Why
should Jesus thank God the father for revealing this to the little ones? We
know that he himself was instrument in God the father’s hand. Yes, it is here
we find the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is on this point we meditate
today.
Once I had a casual visit to a
neighboring parish. An elderly priest was with me. As we entered the church
compound some guys who were sitting and chatting near the office came to us and
greeted Jay Jesu. I was noticing how these guys were happy to see that old
priest and sharing their life to him. All of them were well employed it seemed.
On our way back the elderly priest was sharing with me about those people,
their early poor life situations and thanking God for his being instrumental
for them. When they got a chance most of them studied well and got good jobs. May
be a very simple thing it is. My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
many a time, remember, you and I were instrumental of God for our children,
family members, students, friends, fellow beings etc. We have seen them
growing, flourishing faster in their life. What was our attitude towards their
growth? Are we comfortable with them? Could we give thanks to God of our own
accord seeing their honest response to the grace they received? Or rather, are
we calculating the days of their coming back and praising and flattering us?
Once, disciples of Jesus came
around him explaining in great joy all those things that had happened during
their mission work. In Luke we see Jesus filled with Holy Spirit thanking God
the father and in Mark we find Jesus inviting them to a lonely place to be with
him and to hear them sharing. Today in this Holy Eucharist let us ask for the
grace we need to thank God for all the graces we received in and through us.
Jesus has no hands today to help our brethren other than ours, he has no eyes
today to see the tears of our brethren other than ours he has no ears today to
hear the cries of our brethren other than ours. May God help us to be
instrumental in his hands and lead always a grateful life! Amen.
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