Gospel Reading :Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus declared, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.
All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
What do the Fathers say?
The Fathers explain this verse:- All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
St AUGUSTINE. If He has any less power than the Father has, then all that the Father has, is not His; for by begetting Him the Father gave power to the Son, – He gave all things which He has in His substance to Him whom He begot.
St HILARY. And also in the mutual knowledge between the Father and the Son, He teaches us that there is nothing in the Son beyond what was in the Father, for it follows, And no one knows the Son but the Father, nor does any man know the Father but the Son.
For this mutual knowledge proclaims that they are of one substance, since He that should know the Son, should know the Father also in the Son, since all things were delivered to Him by the Father.
St John CHRYSOSTOM. By this that only He knows the Father, He shows covertly that He is of one substance with the Father. As though He had said, What wonder if I be Lord of all, when I have something greater, namely to know the Father and to be of the same substance with Him?
When He says, Neither does any know the Father but the Son, He does not mean that all men are altogether ignorant of Him; but that none knows Him with that knowledge wherewith He Himself knows the Father; which may also be said of the Son.
If then He reveals the Father, He reveals Himself also. But the one he omits as a thing manifest, but mentions the other because there might be a doubt concerning it.
Herein also He instructs us that He is so one with the Father, that it is not possible for any to come to the Father, but through the Son.
St AUGUSTINE. And because their substance is inseparable, it is enough sometimes to name the Father, sometimes the Son, nor is it possible to separate from either His Spirit, who is especially called the Spirit of truth.
Bible readings from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Second Catholic Edition, copyright © 2006 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
Quotes of the Fathers from Thomas Aquinas’ Catena Aurea Translated by St John Henry Newman
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