Mystery Solved

Gospel: Matthew 13: 10-17

How many people have a working knowledge of quantum physics? Or organic biochemistry so as to understand human diseases? In both cases the number is small compared to the number of people in the world.  Is this a problem? No.  This knowledge is accessible to all, it is knowable data, and yet only some possess it.  Part of this is due to interest, part of it due to the fact that other things need to be known and done on earth and we only have so much time to devote.  We have to choose what our work will be.  We accept one path of knowledge, leaving behind many others.

In the life of faith, however, it is different.  Here the knowledge is not that difficult and time consuming.  It consists of one simple formula: to accept the mercy of God, to extend God's mercy to other people, and to love everyone.  It requires very little study and yet few pursue this knowledge.  Instead, elaborate theologies are constructed designed to create exclusive membership clubs and shut others out.  We would rather do that than follow the simple core message of faith.

So it is not really a mystery why few seem to know or care of these things.  It is not a fault of the knowledge that is accessible to all; it is a simple knowledge requiring little time.  It is simply our own fault for just not wanting to do the very simple.  God does not prevent us from accessing this mystery; we do it to ourselves.