July 5, 2026 at Saint William Church in Naples FL
Zechariah 9: 9-10 + Psalm 145 + Romans 8: 9, 11-13 + Matthew 11: 25-30
We seem to be living through an age of anti-intellectualism that has created a big split between what I will call scholars and workers, for lack of a better term. It’s not to suggest that scholars do not work, but I think you may know what I am struggling to describe. Some political observers and commentators call this, “Popularism.” What it seems to boil down to is that many people look upon thinkers and scholars as being “out of it” or being somehow “elite.” The other way around is just as observable with the highly educated looking down on those who do not share their interests, ideas, and values.
Jesus is talking to us today about this. While he upholds the value of wisdom, he turns what wisdom looks like on its end. Jesus does not think that having a string of letters after your name or a great resume means you are wise. He suggests that the wise are those who live according to the way of the Kingdom he came to reveal, and he did that with his Sermon on the Mount.
Jesus speaks of “little ones” lifting up infants as a model because he wants wonder to remain central to our relationship with God. Wonder and awe are sure signs of Wisdom. Educational systems that grind on with grueling attempts to bury mystery with data robs the scholar of real wisdom. At the same time, the business, the noise, and distractions of everyday life exhaust and leave others with no curiosity, wonder, or imagination. For both, the ability to find joy in watching a butterfly or a sunset gets lost. It’s almost as though we need permission to sit and watch and wonder even if it means we are not engaged in productive work or serious study.
My friends, when wisdom takes on human flesh, it is Jesus Christ. In other words, s Wisdom, Jesus becomes a yoke – a way of life – whose life-giving power transforms our deepest desires into passion for God’s just and merciful reign over this world. As Wisdom, Jesus provides us with a yoke that, when we take it upon ourselves, heals our deepest hurts and pains to that our lives can find purpose and wholeness. The more we take on the Wisdom of Jesus Christ, the more intimately we are drawn into the intimacy Christ has with the Father.
Intelligent, whole human beings can still celebrate wonder. A desire for greater knowing goes hand in hand with our recognition that God’s world still holds new insights and discoveries for unfolding the truth. Anyone who thinks they know the whole truth is far from wise. If being humble is knowing more fully our true selves, then perhaps some of our most precious learning about God will come to light as we look within.