Lord of heaven and earth

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Ese

CalledOut Music

Today is Wednesday the 15th of July, the feast of Saint Bonaventure, in the 15th week of Ordinary Time.

CalledOut Music sings, ‘Ese’, a song meaning ‘thank you’. Can you sing this to God too today?

What shall I render?

Tell me what I can offer (to You)

How can I say that I'm grateful

I have a Father who will

Never ever fail me, no

He never sleep or slumber

He'll never fall my hand

You have been closer than a friend

And this, Your love will never end

So I've come to say

Ese, Ese Oluwa oh

Ese, Ese Baba

Ese, Ese Oluwa oh

Ese, Ese Baba

I'll give You my heart and affection

Give You my love and devotion

I'll never cease to worship You, my God

So I've come to give my offering

Many blessings fall on me

Every step of the way

I have felt Your presence

You have been closer than a friend

And this Your love will never end

So I've come to say

Ese, Ese Oluwa oh

Ese, Ese Baba

Ese, Ese Oluwa oh

Ese, Ese Baba

2:34

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 11:25-27

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; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 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.

3:48

Today is the feast day of St Bonaventure, a contemporary and friend of St Thomas Aquinas. As a Franciscan, modelling St Francis, Jesus was at the centre of everything - his teaching, his writing, and his life. On this feast day, we may pray for the gift of wisdom and the ability to integrate faith and reason in our lives.

In today’s passage, we are witnesses to Jesus’ prayer to the Father, rejoicing in the Father’s plan for the world. We often reflect on the suffering of Jesus - what does it mean to witness this prayer of gratitude and trust?

We might place ourselves within the intimacy of the relationship that Jesus had with his heavenly Father. Imagine Jesus’ face. Hear the warmth in his voice as he speaks. Jesus speaks of his followers as “little children,” seeing that they are blessed by their openness to learn from him, a virtue lacking in others who perhaps saw themselves as intellectuals who already knew. What might you need to let go of so as to become more childlike in your relationship with God?

As you listen to the passage again, consider how you might ask for the grace to become one of those “little ones”.

7:13

Matthew 11:25-27

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; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 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.

8:16

“I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth…”

In these final moments of prayer, rest in the love of God the Father, opening your heart as a beloved child.

10:39

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen