Jesus is a poor itinerant preacher traveling among poor people “to preach in their towns.” He is in touch with nature for his teaching – “seeds” and “sheep,” “serpents and doves,” “reeds in the wind.” He learns his friend, John the Baptist, a poor settled preacher, also in touch with nature, has been put into prison by the rulers of politics, finances, and theology. Jesus poses to John’s followers, “what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces.” Not John nor Jesus, nor their listeners live in grandeur yet those who do, inflict upon them their annoyance, worse, their abuse and violence. With the knowledge of rulers’ violence, preceded by abuse, that starts with annoyance, Jesus says, “I am meek and humble of heart.”
Who are the meek and humble of heart today? Do we go out to find them? When we visit them what do we hear – truth? What do we see – kindness? What do we learn – wisdom? Like Jesus and John, we are surrounded by rulers speaking about politics and we hear strategies and tactics, we learn of their laws, and see their supportive members. We may be annoyed at their machinations about politics. Also, we are surrounded by people amassing financial gain and we hear policies and plans, we learn of security through money, we see their many possessions. We may be annoyed at their schemes of finances. Additionally, we are surrounded by people relaying theology and we hear beliefs and values, we learn of deities and rituals, we see their practices. We may be annoyed at their inventions of theology. How shall we be meek and humble of heart amidst all the machinations, schemes, and inventions? The meek and humble of heart learn not to give their energy to being annoyed – annoyed at politicians for structuring a status system; annoyed at financiers for constructing a class system; annoyed at theologians for inventing a deity system. To be meek and humble of heart is to be “forbearing when tempted to be annoyed.” It is to be “gentle, mild.” We are the meek and humble of heart today when amidst the political machinations we are free of annoyance and people hear us speak the truth; when amidst the financial schemes we are free of annoyance and people see our kindness; when amidst the theological inventions we are free of annoyance and people learn spiritual wisdom. For truth endures, kindness thrives, and wisdom enlightens through all the false grandeur of political machinations, financial schemes, and theological inventions. We shall be the meek and humble of heart as we are in touch with the genuine grandeur of our human nature, of life’s nature. It is a grandeur that is refreshing and reminds us we too are refreshing.
“The world is charged with the grandeur of God… Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. And for all this, nature is never spent; There lives the dearest freshness deep down.” (God’s Grandeur – Gerard Manly Hopkins)
Prayer: Beautiful Spirit, we are the grandeur of God.
Question: When I find myself getting annoyed, what do I do to refresh my nature?
July 09, 2023 Gospel Matthew 11:25-30 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time