Gospel for June 25, 2009, Thursday
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. | 06/25/2009 12:00 AM
Printer-friendly version | 
Send to friend | 
Share your views
12th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Gen 16:6b–12, 15–16
Gospel: Mt 7:21–29
Jesus said to his disciples, “Not everyone who says to me: Lord! Lord! will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my heavenly Father. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not speak in your name? Did we not cast out devils and perform many miracles in your name?’ Then I will tell them openly: I have never known you; away from me, you evil people!
“So, then, anyone who hears these words of mine and acts accordingly is like a wise man, who built his house on rock. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house, but it did not collapse because it was built on rock. But anyone who hears these words of mine and does not act accordingly, is like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain poured, the rivers flooded, and the wind blew and struck that house; it collapsed, and what a terrible fall that was!” When Jesus had finished this discourse, the crowds were struck by the way he taught, because he taught with authority unlike their teachers of the Law.
Commentary
Jesus taught that it isn’t enough to acknowledge him in word alone; it is necessary that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. There are others, whose faith relies solely upon hearing a message and nothing more. Two kinds of hearers are represented as two builders. Today’s parable teaches us to hear and act upon the sayings of Jesus; some may seem difficult to follow, but they must be done. Some build their hopes upon worldly prosperity; others upon outward professions of religion. But their hopes are all built on sand, too weak to bear the demands of the faith, upon which we build our hopes of heaven. The coming storm will try everyone’s faith.
The crowds were astonished at the wisdom and power of Jesus’ doctrine. And this sermon, which is often read over and again, is always new. Let us be more and more decided and earnest, making Christ the main subject of our thoughts. Let us not confuse our faith with worldly rewards, whereby we grasp at everything, but catch nothing. May God make us wise builders for eternity; then nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ!
________
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc., 8 Mayumi St., U.P. Village, Diliman, Quezon City, U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman, 1101 Quezon City; Tel. No. (02) 921-39-84; Fax No.: (02) 921-62-05 E-mail: cci@claret.org; Websites: http://www.claretpublication.com (Claretian Publications) & http://www.claretphilippines.org (Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines) Claretian HOPE CENTER: Aurora Milestone Tower, 1045 Aurora Blvd., Loyola Heights, Quezon City E-mail: hopecenter07@yahoo.com/hopecenter07@gmail.com
Comments