Thursday of the Twenty-Eighth Week of Ordinary Time

Lectio

   Luke 11:47–54

Meditatio

“… the key of knowledge.…”

   Today’s Gospel focuses on the woes that Jesus pronounces against the scribes and Pharisees. In reading this text, we realize that he is acting in the biblical tradition of prophetic denunciation of evil. Jesus’ intent is not to condemn all the people of Israel, not even all the Pharisees. His intent is to highlight an error in order to draw people away from it. He’s acting like a doctor who has to administer some painful remedy to cure the patient.

   Jesus speaks of how the prophets were killed when they announced God’s word. He then says, “You have taken away the key of knowledge.” In this context, knowledge seems to refer to access to the kingdom of God. “You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” In the Bible, the symbol of keys indicates authority. Jesus is saying that the religious leaders blocked people from entering the kingdom instead of helping them to get in. It’s like a teacher who, instead of helping students prepare to pass an important exam, deliberately tries to make them fail.

   The prophets were rejected and killed by people who didn’t want to hear their sometimes harsh messages. The key of knowledge is humility of heart, the ability to accept a truthful message even when it’s hard to hear. Resistance to truth, as well as its acceptance, come more from our heart than our mind. That is why God sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for Christ. Unlike the religious professionals, John came on the scene with no credentials except the intensity of his love. He pointed to Jesus, not himself, saying, “He must increase; I must decrease” (Jn 3:30). John, the voice in the wilderness, preached a baptism of repentance to prepare people to accept Jesus. John gave the key of knowledge to those who would accept it. Today, the world is filled with many conflicting voices. But the voice of Jesus teaching through the Church is loud and clear. Which voice am I going to listen to?

Oratio

   Jesus, you give us the key of knowledge, the key to entering the kingdom of heaven. Help me to have true humility of heart, so that I may listen attentively to your teaching and accept it fully.

Contemplatio

   Lord, I want to listen to your voice.

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ORDINARY GRACE Weeks 18–34: Daily Gospel Reflections (By the Daughters of St. Paul)