Sermon Tone Analysis

Title

For What We Know and What We Do Not Know

Outline

In the Byzantine Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom

After praising God for his apophatic characteristics we praise God for “what we know and what we do not know”

I have always like this, for it acknowledges that God has revealed himself to us and at the same time acknowledges that we know little and so approach him as trusting children

Job had to learn this

While he did trust God and did not malign him, he seems to feel that he can understand him and so can argue with him

Instead God reveals himself to Job just enough to make Job respond to: “Who is this who obscures counsel with ignorance?”

Job has to respond, “I have spoken but did not understand; things too marvelous for me, which I did not know.

By hearsay I have heard of you, but now my eye has seen you.

Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes.”

What we see here is Job taking a humble stance, the stance of a child, and, more than that, an abandonment to divine providence.

St Therese understood this very well.

Jesus has to teach this to the 70

They had returned from a preaching and healing mission and were most impressed by their power over Satan in Jesus’ name.

Jesus agrees that powerful things had happened: “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.”

But then he minimizes them in two ways, first by noting that they had powers of which they were not aware (and which do sometimes happen literally, but probably transcend the literal), and second by telling them to set the miracles aside: “rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

The miracles are just signs of their being in Christ.

Then he praises the Father especially for the fact that, “although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.”

The people who think they know actually do not, while those who went on mission in childlike trust experience.

They are the blessed ones.

But it all revolves around trust in Jesus: “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.”

In other words, even a Thomas Aquinas, who used rationality so excellently to explain divine truths to others, received his revelation through his humble devotion to the Son and his childlike contemplation, which people often are ignorant of or forget about - they miss that he was a monk, a Dominican, a seeker of the divine, a writer of devotional poetry and music.

The theological writings are the mission on which Jesus sent his devoted child.

Again, we think of St. Theresa, whose humility and child’s trust in Jesus are legendary and whose writings were an obedience (and not appreciated at first).

So, Sisters, there we have it

As a teacher I was successful to the extent that my teaching was obedience to Jesus and flowed out of my primary desire to know him, the floor of my office (where I prayed) not my desk, the chapel not the lecture hall.

Your apostolate and your success as a Sister in any real sense come more from your heart’s being in silence with your spouse or in the chapel than in your gifting.

Gifting flows from Jesus and is done gladly, but we quickly turn our eyes back to Jesus.

I have heard so many talking about getting power in prayer and especially those around me in charismatic movements going “wow” over workers of miracles of various type.

What a display of ignorance.

It is not about our power, but about our childlike trust in and humble seeking of Jesus.

Then it is all the same whether we lay sick in bed, scrub floors, work miracles or become a doctor of the church.

It all flows from our knowing him and his revealing the Father in and through us.

That is what St Theresa and so many others knew, not because of their study, but because they knew him to whom they had opened themselves as children.

Readings

FIRST READING

Job 42:1–3, 5–6, 12–17

1 Then Job answered the LORD and said:

2 I know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.

3 “Who is this who obscures counsel with ignorance?”

I have spoken but did not understand;

things too marvelous for me, which I did not know.

5 By hearsay I had heard of you,

but now my eye has seen you.

6 Therefore I disown what I have said,

and repent in dust and ashes.

12 Thus the LORD blessed the later days of Job more than his earlier ones.

Now he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-donkeys.

13 He also had seven sons and three daughters: 14 the first daughter he called Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch.

15 In all the land no other women were as beautiful as the daughters of Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.

16 After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; and he saw his children, his grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren. 17 Then Job died, old and full of years.

RESPONSE

Psalm 119:135

135 Let your face shine upon your servant;

teach me your statutes.

PSALM

Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130

66 Teach me wisdom and knowledge,

for in your commandments I trust.

71 It was good for me to be afflicted,

in order to learn your statutes.

75 I know, LORD, that your judgments are righteous;

though you afflict me, you are faithful.

91 By your judgments they stand firm to this day,

for all things are your servants.

125 I am your servant; give me discernment

that I may know your testimonies.

130 The revelation of your words sheds light,

gives understanding to the simple.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Matthew 11:25

25 At that time Jesus said in reply, “I give praise to you, 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.

GOSPEL

Luke 10:17–24

17 The seventy[-two] returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”

18 Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.

19 Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.

20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

21 At that very moment he 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.”

Notes

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2022 | MEMORIAL

SAINT THERESE OF THE CHILD JESUS, VIRGIN AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

YEARS 1 & 2 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

From Saturday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading Job 42:1–3, 5–6, 12–17

Response Psalm 119:135

Psalm Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 11:25

Gospel Luke 10:17–24

WHITE