Blog:Salvation is for the "childlike"? Matthew 11:25
** DRAFT **
A letter of thanks to a thoughtful Priest.
Father,
While teaching at a Catholic high school, the Chair of the Religion Department tried to convert me. (I was not even baptized.) One of her arguments was that I was over-intellectualizing belief in God and Christ. Instead, I should approach them “like a child” (or, she might have used “childlike”).
Since joining the Church, whenever I have encountered Mt 11:25, I am reminded of that conversation, and I try unsuccessfully to square it with my experience with Scripture.
Today, you unlocked what has been for years a troubling mystery for me.
My conversion has been an intellectual journey: I was catechized by thoughtful priests and by the Missal, which helped me to understand – rather adult-like -- the Liturgy. I came through RCIA intellectually. I still felt that faith without reason, i.e. childlike faith, is not a complete faith, although every time my dog shows his love for me, unreasoned and unconditional, I fall back upon the intellect’s obstructions to pure faith. Nevertheless, St. Pope John Paul’s “two wings” of faith and reason have helped enormously, but until today I have left Matthew 11:25 as a mystery.
Today you clarified it! Childlike” is to have and to recognize the Father – and so childlike faith is humble, honest, and yearning for the Father. Wow.
Thank you!
I see that the Greek taken as “to the childlike” can also be seen as “to the innocent,”[1] which fits context just as well as a contrast to “the wise and the learned.” But that’s not the point! Intellect that is humble is childlike. Intellect that yearns to find God is childlike. Intellect that submits to the Father is both childlike and innocent. Intellect that believes is like the child who adores and obeys his father
But Jesus wants us to know the Father by believing in the Son. Of course – like the child of a father!