Page 23 - Read and Recognize

Read and Recognize
Studies and Learning

That is just the point, most of it, if not almost everything, comes from
human learnedness. What does the Apostle Paul say here?
1 Cor. 8,1 …we all have knowledge, but knowledge makes proud (knowl-
edge puffs up!), but charity edifies!

So he who takes in learning out of pure love in order to come to know
GOD better, in doing so to love Him even more and to be able to better
serve Him, cannot become proud. He will neither boast about nor puff
himself up with it, but he will become a servant, a wise man. He who
prides himself on his knowledge and brags about it is a blown-up wind-
bag. The Spirit of GOD will not take him into His confidence.

What did CHRIST say?
Matth. 11,25f At that time, Jesus answered and said: „I praise you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things
from the wise and prudent, but revealed them to little ones. Yes,
Father, for so it has seemed good in your sight!“

The long time of studies to become a priest does more harm than good
to most priests as well as to the Church. So many things are drummed
into their heads until every future priest cannot but believe that he is
now one who has finished learning, a knowing one, one who has
studied, one who is equipped for the job, and may consult his books
and knowledge in case he might need to ask anything.

And so I ask: What then is left for the HOLY SPIRIT to do?

Is He a mere recipient of the priest’s orders that He may
come when the priest calls Him for the holy Sacraments?

For they have studied so much and have had so many things
drilled into them that there is hardly anybody left who says: „I know
nothing!“ or „Now I know that I do not know anything!“ They see them-
selves as persons who have finished learning, as persons who are well
equipped, and as a result there is no room in them for the HOLY
SPIRIT.

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