Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Matthew (11: 25-27) in which Jesus says, “I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever, and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for this is what it pleased to do.”

Fr Paul says, this much-loved and encouraging passage tells of the intimacy of the relationship between the Father and Son in a way that no other passage of the synoptic gospels does. It is reminiscent of those passages in John 5, which unfold the equality of Father and Son. The Son does nothing but what he sees the Father doing; the Father loves the Son so that he entrusts all things to the Son; and the Son gives life just as the Father gives life.

The gospel stories of Jesus, moving around and bringing light, healing, tolerance and even humour, as well as firmness, uncompromising challenges and judgment, give us a glimpse of God in human and intelligible terms. In closing Fr Paul says, it calls us to respond to that limitless love.