Friends, welcome to Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Word on Fire is an

apostolate dedicated to the mission of evangelization using media both old and

new to share the faith on every continent and to facilitate an encounter with

Christ and His Church. The efforts of Word on Fire engage the culture and bring

the transformative power of God's Word where it is most needed. Today we invite

you to join Bishop Robert Barron as he preaches the gospel and shares the

warmth and light of Christ with each one of us. Peace be with you. Friends, the

gospel for this weekend is marvelous from the 11th chapter of Matthew and it

contains the passage that parallel to the great Catholic biblical scholars of

the less century referred to as quote Matthew's most precious pearl. It's also

been described this passage as a Johanine bolt from the Mathian blue. What

am I talking about? Well the language Jesus uses here is much more

redolent of John's gospel than Matthew. It sounds like the way Jesus talks in

John. So it's a Johanine bolt out of the Matthew, the Mathian blue. Now what

are we talking about? What's so extraordinary here? Let me read it to you. At that

time Jesus exclaimed, I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. For

although you've hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you've

revealed them to your little ones. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.

Now listen as he goes on, no one knows the Son except the Father and no one

knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal

him. Can you hear it there? The Johanine quality. It sounds like the way Jesus

talks in John's gospel. Why is it Matthew's most precious pearl? Because we're

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