The Fourth Sunday After Pentecost ----- 6 July 2014

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

16 "But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 17 "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He has a demon'; 19 the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." 

25 At that time Jesus said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." 

"I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants...”

• Once upon a time, there was an emperor. The emperor was a vain man and loved to dress in the finest clothing of the day. Two merchants came from a great distance and told the emperor that they would make the most wonderful suit of clothing for him. Of course, being a man of intelligence and good taste, his Imperial Majesty agreed.
• The day arrived to present the new suit of clothes at court and the emperor was eager to see his garments. The merchants arrived and opened their chest with the warning that only the finest bred people with the highest intelligence and the most refined taste could see the value of the clothes. With that proviso, they carefully gave the emperor his new clothes... which no one at court could see. Since the merchants had said only the smartest, most refined, and classiest people could perceive the value of the clothes, no one – even the emperor – said anything except to heap compliments on the emperor for his wise choice and excellent taste (which really means “Don't I have good taste, too?”) After all who wants to be known as a dullard or a clod. His Majesty duly admired his new garments while the merchants headed to the border with their money at top speed.
• At the grand parade the next day, the emperor arrived to the acclamation of the crowd... all of whom were aware that they'd be belittled as hicks at the least or imprisoned as traitors at the worst if they saw what they really saw. All except a small child,who said...
• Well, you know what he said. Who can tell me?
• Right.
• Jesus' words about the Father revealing to infants what is hidden from the wise and the intelligent has a bit of this old story to it. In the story, everyone's eyes were open but other factors made them blind. Only the young child would admit to seeing what was right in front of everyone's eyes.
• To be honest, our world and our society could not function without the wise people and the intelligent people. To be further honest, those two are not the same. We turn to our elders for wisdom since they've seen so much and overcome so much. We turn to intelligent people to solve so many of our problems and make good decisions. Don't we want the so-called “Best and Brightest” running our governments?
• But the wise grow tired and the intelligent grow cynical. It is left to the infants, the children, the simple to bring refreshment, joy, a new point of view, and often, truth. They see with new eyes and often see possibilities that the wise and intelligent refuse to see.
• A few days ago, I watched my 19-year old son play Legos with a friend's 7-year old son, and they both enjoyed it. (Really now, who doesn't enjoy Legos? ...Except when you step on them.) The house was full of noise, but the fresh air from their play was quite noticeable.
• We can't live with out the wisdom of the wise and the brilliance of the intelligent. In the same way, we can't live without the simple insight and the simple joy of those Jesus calls “infants.”
• Those are the people who hear the Good News and refuse to be side-tracked by things like John the Baptizer's desert lifestyle or Jesus' acceptance of tax collectors and sinners' hospitality. These are the people who have not yet learnt to see things as they aren't. They know the emperor has no clothes and they know that God enjoys a good laugh, a beautiful sunset, or the simple offering coming from the heart, no matter what the value of the offering.
• The infants know the reality of grace even if they cannot define it or put a value on it. They realize their own vulnerability and their own need, and in that, they can respond to God's gifts. They are the “poor in spirit” the Beatitudes tell of.
• These people may be the stranger, the visitor, the humble, the child, the artist – the ones who don't see things as we see them. They are the ones who can allow us to overcome both our self-satisfaction and our self-hatred. They ask the questions – either aloud or by silent presence – that will make us wonder and that will be God breaking through our toughened and scared hides and our tempered armour. These are the people who will embody grace to us. Because they are childish and sweet? No, because what has been hidden from the wise and the intelligent, the learn-ed and the clever, the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth and everything else, has revealed to the least of all... and with the least of all is where we'll find our God.

"I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants...”