A little knowledge can be dangerous

Mass Readings: March 7
First: Wisdom 2:1,12-22
Resp: Psalm 34:17-21,23
Gospel: John 7:1-2,10,25-30


John 7:27 But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from."

Sometimes we just don't know all there is to know about somethings. The Jews were perhaps premature in their thinking. Sure, they knew where Jesus the man comes from, well, sort of. They knew Mary was his mother. But maybe they hadn't considered the virgin birth. They knew the Messiah would lead the people to salvation. But maybe they didn't think that this included all kinds of people from all future generations. How could the man Jesus do that?
Clearly this is a mystery and clearly the Jews didn't know all there is to know about Jesus at this time. In fact even today we don't know everything about him.
It has been said that a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. It can cause us to draw incorrect conclusions and get off on the wrong path. I think we need to be willing to admit to ourselves and to others that there is a lot that we don't know. Once we have humbly come to terms with that, we then may be able to better face those things that we just don't know about yet. Maybe that is what faith is about. Maybe faith is about not knowing something as much as it is about knowing something. Can we trust in what we don't fully know?

Father, thank you that you come to us so simply that we must be childlike to know you, and yet so awesome that the greatest among us can't begin to know all about you. Help me, by your Holy Spirit, to admit to myself, to others, and to you what I don't know and then to have faith enough to follow you as a child.

Amen