Jesus publicly reveals He is the Son of the Father and the only source of salvation. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by building the Virtue of Gratitude so he can more consistently thank God for His blessings and by seeking the Gift of Wisdom from the Holy Spirit so he can realize that outside the Church there is no salvation.
Liturgy
15th Week in Ordinary Time – Wednesday – Mt 11:25-27
Commentary
After severely rebuking and condemning the unrepentant cities (Mt 11:20-24), Jesus prays to the Father, offering to all men a privileged glimpse into the intimacy of the Trinity. He condemns the arrogance and disobedience of unrepentant men who think they are “wise”, and commends the men of good will who obediently give themselves to Jesus like innocent children, and are able to receive the wisdom and blessings of the Father.
In just a few short lines, Jesus’ prayer to God the Father is a powerful blessing that reveals the closeness of the Father and the Son. He reveals the perfect love between the Father and the Son. He confirms His perfect obedience to, and reverence for, the Father. He expresses His heart-deep thanks for His Father’s blessings. He acknowledges the power the Father has given Him in the world. He confirms the Father’s dominion over all Creation.
Jesus’ prayer also reveals how men can draw closer to God. Through His example, Jesus demonstrates how men can speak with God. He reveals that through the Father’s gracious and mysterious will, God is hidden from the arrogant, the self-proclaimed “wise”, and revealed to the innocent, those who are receptive and dependent like infants; only through humble obedience and dependence can men be open to receiving the life-saving Wisdom of Jesus. Jesus reveals that He is the only source who can reveal the wisdom of God the Father.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Ponder in your heart, the astounding truth which Jesus, Son of the Father, reveals: though appearing with a Human Nature (flesh and blood), Jesus is a Divine Person of the Trinity with Authority and Dominion over all Creation; as the Son, Jesus is in perfect union with the Father and has exclusive Divine Knowledge of the Father; the Son reveals the startling truth that the Father is selective, mysteriously allowing some to come to faith while to others, faith is hidden; Jesus confirms He is the exclusive way for men to come to the Father, an allusion to eternal salvation.
Practice the Virtue of Gratitude
Realize: Jesus offers men a remarkable opportunity to witness His prayer of thanksgiving to the Father; every Catholic man has received a multitude of blessings and should justly imitate Jesus and give thanks to God.
Believe: Reflect upon Christ’s Prayer (CCC 2603, 2701).
Pray: Jesus, Perfection of Thanksgiving, help me build the Virtue of Gratitude (a part of Justice) so I accept Your insistence upon and examples of gratitude, I recognize Your many astounding blessings in my life, and I live a life of gratitude to You through my acts of prayer, fasting and almsgiving; Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen me in gratitude by allowing me to receive Your Sacrament of Thanksgiving, the Eucharist.
Know: Outside the Church there is no salvation
Realize: Today, many profess to be “spiritual but not religious” and falsely claim that all religions are the same, equally valid, and lead to God; this lie ultimately traces to Satan, the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44), who encourages men to ignore objective truth claims and be distracted by vague “feel-good” false unity. Jesus says otherwise: “no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him” (v. 27).
Believe: Reflect upon the Truth that Outside the Catholic Church there is no Salvation (CCC 846-848).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Wisdom so You inscribe on my heart and mind the truth that Outside the Church there is no salvation and guide me to lead many souls to Christ’s Holy Catholic Church.