November 29 - Nick Higgins
Luke 10: 21-24
Jesus 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.” If you are a straight-A student like I was in high school, and you are very “wise and learned,” that is certainly a good thing, but today Jesus teaches us that we need to be cautious because it can be more difficult for men like us to see the treasures of Heaven that God wants to reveal to us.
While I lived in the developing country of Honduras in Central America as a missionary, taking cold showers, eating simple foods, and living alongside the poorest of the poor, the poor taught me true joy in simplicity. The poor couldn't care less about my straight A’s and fancy degrees. They were just happy to see me and to spend time with me. The poor are not childish, but rather childlike…like a child, many cannot read and have to rely on someone else to read to them. Rather than relying on their education and fancy degrees, the poor have to rely on God as a Good Father who will provide for them.
The poor taught me that true wisdom is not found in textbooks or in relying on our own strength and intelligence, but rather it is found in a simple, yet powerful, faith in God, relying on Him and trusting Him. Education, science, and all the knowledge of the world are of course great things, and they are true gifts from God, but they can become dangerous when we think we can rely on them instead of relying on God.
Finally, Jesus also radically teaches us today that “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” In other words, the only way to truly come to know God is through Jesus. May we all learn to keep Jesus, the Christ, at the center of “Christ-Mass” (Christmas) this year. May we prepare our hearts this Advent by taking the time to get to know Jesus through His Sacred Scripture, so that we can truly receive His peace and joy on Christmas morning.
Open up our eyes, Lord Jesus. Help us to find You in the poor on the streets of Baltimore and around the world, in the Mass and the Sacraments, in ourselves, in our classmates, in our family, and in all those we encounter today. In finding You, may you tell us just like you told your disciples in secret today, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.”
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While I lived in the developing country of Honduras in Central America as a missionary, taking cold showers, eating simple foods, and living alongside the poorest of the poor, the poor taught me true joy in simplicity. The poor couldn't care less about my straight A’s and fancy degrees. They were just happy to see me and to spend time with me. The poor are not childish, but rather childlike…like a child, many cannot read and have to rely on someone else to read to them. Rather than relying on their education and fancy degrees, the poor have to rely on God as a Good Father who will provide for them.
The poor taught me that true wisdom is not found in textbooks or in relying on our own strength and intelligence, but rather it is found in a simple, yet powerful, faith in God, relying on Him and trusting Him. Education, science, and all the knowledge of the world are of course great things, and they are true gifts from God, but they can become dangerous when we think we can rely on them instead of relying on God.
Finally, Jesus also radically teaches us today that “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.” In other words, the only way to truly come to know God is through Jesus. May we all learn to keep Jesus, the Christ, at the center of “Christ-Mass” (Christmas) this year. May we prepare our hearts this Advent by taking the time to get to know Jesus through His Sacred Scripture, so that we can truly receive His peace and joy on Christmas morning.
Open up our eyes, Lord Jesus. Help us to find You in the poor on the streets of Baltimore and around the world, in the Mass and the Sacraments, in ourselves, in our classmates, in our family, and in all those we encounter today. In finding You, may you tell us just like you told your disciples in secret today, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.”
Mount Saint Joseph High School
Mount Saint Joseph is a Catholic, college preparatory school for young men sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers.
