A: 12th Sun of Ord Time (21 June 2020) - APPETITE FOR OMNISCIENCE - Mt 10:26-33

Omniscience is one of the many attributes of God we all agree on. As omniscient, also known as all-knowing, God knows everything and everybody, in every time and in every place, even the dimmest secrets of the universe in all generations. In our gospel today, this assertion is corroborated by Jesus’ speech to the Twelve, saying: “Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet no one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted” (Mt 10:29-30).

God’s all-knowing characteristic infers that nothing escapes his surveilling eyes. The psalmist straightforwardly informs us of this divine mystery: “Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there … For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb” (Psa 139:7-8, 13). Being the creator of everything, God has obviously the most profound knowledge of all that happened and will happen. Indeed, Paul is correct to call him “the only wise God” (Rom 16:27). In fact, he already knows each and every one of us even from our mothers’ wombs (Jer 1:5).

We are, then, informed by Scriptures that God’s omniscience is an attribute attached to his very nature as God. Yet, there are two things worth remarking on this regard. First is this trait is for mankind’s encouragement amidst the ensuing persecutions in the world. We read this in today’s gospel as Jesus’ instructions are to be understood as a pep-talk to his disciples after giving them authority to preach and to perform miracles in their missions to the villages (Mt 12:1). Second is that despite his familiarity with all the aspects of an individual, God does not impede one to decide freely on his/her own, even if wrong decisions are more likely to be made. Rather, he simply leaves a general warning, captured in Jesus’ words: “But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven” (v. 32). By and large, while he truly desires that no errors are made to ensure a wrinkle-free society, God allows human freedom and wisdom to bloom with his minimal interference.

One of the fascinations of our global community nowadays is to be abreast with what the greater population is exactly doing at virtually all times. Most believe along these lines, thinking that an encyclopedic knowledge is absolute power which gives governments leverage in deterring the emergence and escalation of potential threats to the peace of our lands. With our recent wide-scale experiences of terrorism even in First World countries, most consensually approve of draconian measures of espionage even if they curtail liberty, speech, mobility, and rights for fair trial/justice. Sadly, we are slowly witnessing their proliferation as more and more national administrations are passing laws that restrict basic human rights behind their propaganda that terrorism will be impeded and economic progress will be warranted via a totalitarian control of surveillance facilities, the media, social communications, and even public assemblies.

I think that doing so is almost playing God. Nay, even God himself will not do the same despite his inherent powers since he is not a control-freak micromanager who spies at every (mis)demeanor, but he is more of a gentle parent who allows a toddler to fall down several times so as to teach it how to walk on its own.

- Rex Fortes, CM