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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, you are all-powerful and all-knowing. Help me today to build a house on solid rock rather than shifting sand. Inspire me with your Spirit of Wisdom. Enkindle my heart to burn with love for you.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Faith is Not Enough: The Gospel is taken from the concluding chapter of the Sermon on the Mount. The opening lines teach that faith alone – or faith that is mere lip-service – is not enough to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Our faith needs to flourish in good works, i.e., doing the Father’s will and acting upon the words of Jesus. The one who does the will of the Father in heaven is identical with the tree that bears good and beautiful fruit. Calling out to Jesus, “Lord, Lord,” can be seen as an acknowledgment of Jesus’ divine nature. But merely acknowledging Jesus’ divinity is not enough. We can hear Christ’s words, but they can fall on barren ground or rocky soil. The Kingdom of Heaven has been inaugurated by Jesus on earth, and his words need to find good soil. “Christ’s words are aimed, not merely at the human ear, but at the human heart and will. … Christ’s words fructifying the human heart, grow into a harvest of prayer and charity” (Levia-Merikakis, Fire of Mercy, Heart of the Word: Vol. 1, 312). Is my faith authentic or, at times, an empty faith? How am I an example of Christian living? How will I heed and carry out the Father’s will today?

2. Building on Sand: In his sermon, Jesus outlines how a person can choose to live their life in two very different ways. The same word of God is preached. The same building materials are offered. But what will be the foundation? Shifting sand or stable bedrock? Jesus concludes his powerful sermon with the admonition that our lives cannot be built on sand. They cannot be built on the latest fads, on earthly pleasures, on possessions, or on things that shift with the passage of time. That is the life of the fool. It lacks true, bedrock principles. When tribulation, trial, or temptation comes, the house built on sand collapses. The same storm, with its heavy rain, rising rivers, and howling wind, blasts against the house built on sand and the house built on rock. A life built on pleasure will break down when intense pain comes. A life built on earthly possessions will collapse when emptiness sets in. A life built on pride and power will fall when the celebrity fades. How am I tempted to build on sand?

3. Building on Rock: Our lives only have sense and meaning when they are built on the Lord God, the true Rock. That is the life of the wise and prudent person. What is it that gives true solidity to our lives on earth? The things of heaven: God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit; Mary our Mother; the Church, the gift of divine grace; the Eucharist and the Sacraments; the virtues of charity, faith, and hope; and the gifts of wisdom, piety, fortitude, fear of the Lord, knowledge, understanding, counsel, justice, temperance, courage, and prudence. Our final home is not an earthly grave. Our true home is heaven. The gates of the heavenly city are the goal of our striving. One day, if we persevere in love, we will enter those gates and give thanks to the Lord. How have I built my life on rock?

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my Rock! I choose today to build on sure foundations. I will act on your words and put them into practice. I reject the life built on sand, on pleasure, on power, and on earthly wealth. May I always seek to store up treasure with God the Father!

Living the Word of God: Is my faith authentic or, at times, an empty faith? How am I an example of Christian living? How will I heed and carry out the Father’s will today? How am I tempted to build on sand? How have I built my life on rock?