The Gospel according to Matthew (7:21, 24-27)
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’
will enter the Kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
And everyone who listens to these words of mine
but does not act on them
will be like a fool who built his house on sand.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Reflection:
This gospel reminds me of an experience I had when I was 7 or 8 years old. I wanted to build a “clubhouse”, and I got some random pieces of wood, tarp and other items I found in my back yard. I grabbed a hammer and some nails and got to work. It looked to me like it was going well until I was hammering in the last couple of nails when it all came crashing down. I was devastated. I had not realized that my mom had been keeping an eye on me. When she saw my creation collapsed, she asked my dad to come and help me salvage my project. To be honest I don’t recall if we ever did build that “clubhouse”, but I do remember how good it felt when my dad came to my rescue.
This gospel passage comes at the very end of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This discourse is much more than the Beatitudes at the beginning of Chapter 5. Jesus teaches and preaches on many subjects and life lessons throughout Chapters 5, 6, and 7. He lays the foundation for how to live a life that honors God and provides a blueprint for how to participate in his salvific mission. He gives us a clear path to guide us on this adventure we call life. He provides all the building materials to build our house on rock by revealing the will of our father. Not only that but also the capacity to listen to these words of his. To receive and nurture the lessons he teaches and the truths he reveals.
The only thing he doesn’t do is make the choice for us. He loves and respects us too much to do that. He gives us everything we need and lets us make up our own minds. So, let us listen and learn from Jesus’ beautiful teachings that help us do the will of the Father. Using these rocks of faith, hope, and love let us build our homes so that they can weather even the mightiest of storms.
Action of the day:
I would encourage you to read Mattthew Chapters 5-7. It is only about 5 pages and takes maybe about 10 to 15 minutes to read. I promise you will encounter both the familiar and unfamiliar. Either way there is a treasure trove of lessons and things to consider on how to live as a true disciples of Christ. Read a little at a time or all in one sitting. Stop, think, feel what Jesus wants to gift you. The will of the Father reveals itself to those who seek him.
Audio Reflection:
Link to DEACON5 Website: https://deacon5.com/