HALF-BAKED KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS (HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER 24TH MAY 2022

 

HALF-BAKED KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS (Acts 17:15,22-18:1 ;John 16:12-15) 

The ultimate quest of the human person is to acquire knowledge. The capacity to have a comprehensive understanding of things significantly distinguishes the human person from other world creatures. This is why knowledge, according to Francis Bacon is Power. For who knows, conquers everything. In today's liturgy of the word, we are told that Paul made a speech before the council of the Areopagus in Athens, “men of Athens”, Paul declared, “I have seen for myself how extremely scrupulous you are in all religious matters, because I noticed, as I strolled around admiring your sacred monuments,  that you had an altar inscribed: To An Unknown God. Well the God whom I proclaim is the one whom you already worship without knowing it”. (Acts 17: ). The people of Athens, though they pride themselves as philosophers, Paul underscored them as extremely scrupulous and ignorant on religious matters; by implication, their knowledge was shallow on religious affairs; their knowledge was half-baked on spiritual matters. No wonder they worshipped ‘An Unknown God’. One may begin to ask, how come they worshipped what they do not know? Isn't that shocking? However, It was in this web of confusion and ignorance that Paul exerted his energy to school the council of the Areopagus in Athens, in other to guide and lead them to the complete truth, yet some of them, we are told “at the mention of the rising from the dead, burst out laughing, others said, we would like to hear you talk about this again” (Acts 17:32).

Friends in Christ, this is a clear sign of the danger of half-baked knowledge: The Council Members of Areopagus, who were perceived as philosophers, felt they knew everything, so much so that even when they are offered answers to what they are ignorant of, they would still pride their cluelessness over and above it. Beloved in Christ, I do not know if you have encountered persons with half-baked knowledge of issues before them. How they argue with utmost confidence and certainty about the matter at hand, yet they are devoid of facts and truth. Persons like these obstruct knowledge. They think they know everything, yet they do not have sufficient knowledge of the matter before them and refuse to jettison their ignorance for knowledge. Their understanding does not lead to the complete truth.

In the Gospel reading of today, Jesus mindful of the highly uneducated apostles he had,  promised them the Holy Spirit. He said, “I still have many things to say to you now but they will be too much for you now. But when the spirit of truth comes, he will lead you to the complete truth” (Jn 16:12-13). Brothers and sisters in Christ, without the Holy Spirit, the apostles would have wallowed in half-baked knowledge. Although they listened to the teachings of Jesus, they still did not understand most of the things he told them. Consequently, the Holy Spirit was key to their understanding of the revelations of Jesus. Peter, through the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Cornelius and his household, realized that salvation is also meant for the Gentiles, all those outside the Jewish boundaries (Acts 10:44-48). Through the intercession of the Holy Spirit, the council of Jerusalem was able to resolve the controversy that plagued the primitive church on matters of the conformity of the Gentile-Christians to circumcision and the laws of Moses for Salvation. Dear friends in Christ, the Holy Spirit was instrumental in leading the apostles to the complete truth and by so doing guided the church aright her missionary journey.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us avoid the danger of half-baked knowledge; may we be open and disposed to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate of truth, the teacher and guide of the church to enlighten us more on religio-moral affairs so that our day to day actions will be in tandem with the will of God for us. Amen

Have a blessed day

Rr Remi osj