Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Wednesday of the fifteenth week in ordinary time, July 15, 2026, Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Delivered by Svara Nirmala and Stella from the Parish of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mamajang, in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Isaiah 10: 5-7.13-16; Rs psalm 94: 5-10.14-15; Matthew 11: 25-27. KNOWING GOD The theme for our meditation today is: Knowing God.Joyce, a grade 2 student of elementary school who has only been to school for aweek. In religion class, the students were taught to pray the "OurFather" and other basic prayers. The teacher once asked the students tojot down the formula of Our Father's prayer. However, Joyce only wrote thetitle "Our Father", then under it she drew the face of a man withthick and curly hair, mustache and thin beard. The teacher then asked why Joyce drew that man's face.She replied in this way: "I can already memorize the Lord's Prayer, and Ieven want something more, namely the face of God the Father. Because I do notknow the face of God, I better draw the face of my father at home. He is alsoas good as God". The little girl Joyce represents all of us believerswho want to know God directly and clearly. But like her, we certainly find it difficult toverify on what or who God looks like. There is no human being can do this, butJesus Christ, who is the Son of God, indeed does it for us. The face of Jesusis so well known to us. According Him, as we come to know Him, to see His faceand to meet Him, we indeed know and experience the existence of God the Father. Today we come to meet the Lord God who introducesHimself to us. Through the passage of the book of the prophet Isaiah chapter10, God revealed Himself as the ruler of the universe and all nations on earth.The evil power who ruled over thegodless nations would be eventually defeated by the power of Heaven, when Godused the Assyrian Kingdom to oppress them. Indeed, the Lord wanted to make themaware of their sinfull lives and they should repent then returned to Him. Jesus introduced God the Father as the One who hadincarnated in his human form. Jesus himself knew God the Father and what Godthe Father is really like. We can only obtain this knowledge through JesusChrist who is speaking and meeting us. In His prayer to the Father, Jesus askedthat all goodness and mercy are to be given to the simple, little and sufferingones. Whereas the arrogant, the powerful and the learned people find itdifficult to recognize God in their complicated lives. Many of us truly recognize God in times of difficultyand threat of suffering, and we really need the Lord's help. We also recognizeGod when He frees us from all forms of oppression and persecution. We alsorecognize God in situations of pain and helplessness. In a simple and humblelife we ​​also know the Lord our God. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... Almighty God, strengthen us with Yourblessings, so that we can recognize You without obstacles in all situations ofour lives. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the name of the Father ...