LITTLE ONES

July 16, 2025 Wednesday within the 16th week in Ordinary Time Year C Matthew 11:25–27 In today’s gospel, Jesus lifts His eyes to the Father and offers a prayer of praise—not for power or miracles, but for revelation given to the little ones. He thanks the Father for hiding divine truths from the wise and learned, and revealing them instead to the humble, the childlike, the open-hearted. This Gospel challenges our notions of greatness. God’s ways are not discovered through intellect alone, but through simplicity, humility, and trust. It is not how much we know, but how open we are to receiving God’s truth. There was a time I thought I needed to have everything figured out—to read more theology, to speak more eloquently, to master the mysteries. But along the way, I met simple people—farmers, lola rosary leaders, children receiving their First Communion—whose quiet, sincere faith moved me far more than any book. They knew little in the academic sense, yet somehow, they knew God more deeply than I did. Through them, God whispered to my soul: “Fr. Jhack, come to me as a child, not as a scholar.” Theological knowledge may explain doctrine, but it is encounter with Jesus that opens the heart to divine love. As a priest, I am reminded that the heart of ministry is not just teaching doctrines, but leading people to Jesus, so they may know the Father. In a world obsessed with success, credentials, and recognition, this Gospel calls us back to spiritual childhood—to be small before God, teachable in His presence, and grateful for every grace revealed to the humble. May we never become so “learned” in ministry that we forget how to be little in prayer. Blessings Fr. Jhack