Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, today’s Gospel directs our attention to what really matters most. We are called to put God first and seek His will with all our heart, strength, mind, spirit, and intellect. Jesus ends the Sermon on the Mount with a direct appeal to the heart. He warns against empty words and urges a life rooted in obedience and truth of the Gospel.
What really matters for Jesus:
Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, Lord,
Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Greek phrase ou pas ho
legon stresses that speech alone carries no weight. Words without obedience
remain hollow. Jesus points to what really counts in our relationship with God.
It is to do the will of the Father. We remember that doing the Father’s will
was his food. The Greek term to thelema tou patros mou (the Will of my
Father) highlights a concrete path in our discipleship. It is the father’s
desire that shapes the disciple. That desire appears in the life of Jesus. It
appears in mercy, justice, and a steady turn toward the poor.
To further illustrate His teaching, Jesus narrates two parables of builders. The wise builder is phronimos. He builds on the rock. The sacred scripture tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom and the Knowledge of the Lord is Understanding.” Cfr Proverb 9:10. A life filled with divine wisdom and understanding is unified, humble. It grows in selfless love following the example of Christ.
The man who lacks
divine wisdom and understanding is comparable to a foolish builder who
constructs on sand. Both houses rise
under the same sun. Both face the same rains and winds. Only the house with a
firm foundation endures. Every day becomes an opportunity to build our life either
on a solid foundation or on sand. Temptation, trials, difficulties test the solidness
of the foundation of our lives.
Advent prepares us for the coming of Christ. We remember his birth. We welcome his presence here
and now. We await his final return. This preparation must touch our life and transform
it. It must reach habits, thoughts, and choices. Advent calls us to build on solid
foundation. The rock is not impressive ritual. The rock is daily obedience to
God’s word revealed in Christ Jesus. The rock is truth spoken with charity. The
rock is repentance that leads to change, setting us free from complaisance with
sin, especially habitual ones.
If our faith stays in speech without action, it rests
on sand. Wind easily blows them away; they are of no use. If our prayers never move us toward the
wounded or forgotten, they sink in sand. Advent invites honest questions: “Does
my waiting shape me? Does my worship turn me toward others in selfless and
sacrificial love? Does the Gospel form my daily decisions and perceptions about
myself and others?
The Gospel challenges us today:
Choose one concrete change for this week. Keep it
simple. Call a person who is alone. Offer help to someone under pressure. Set
aside time for prayer that leads to action. Share a small portion of what you
have with someone in need. Let the action be quiet like the gift of the widow
in the Bible. Let it be consistent. The
strength of our foundation appears when life grows difficult. Storms arrive
without warning us. Sickness arrives. Job loss arrives. Family strain arrives.
A strong foundation holds the heart steady, knowing fully that with God all
good things are possible.
Jesus does not reject the prayer and the cry from a humble
and broken heart. He asks that our
confession match our conduct. The Greek rhythm of doing represents the heart of
discipleship. The Father’s will is not distant. It is present in each small
decision that serves love.
Many tasks fill our days and weeks. However, the Gospel brings
us back to the essential. Build well and deeply on a solid foundation. We build our lives by allowing God’s word to
shape our thought and behavior. And this really changes everything in our lives.
His commandments will cease to be seen as a heavy burden. His commandments will
be embraced and appreciation as a beautiful gift leading us to live of
beatitude and freedom.
Advent passes quickly. Christmas will arrive soon; and with the end of the
year festivities, we can easily lose sight of the essentials. May we use these days to strengthen our
foundation. Let our heart turn to what endures. Let our faith become visible in
works of mercy, patience, honesty, and service. Then when storms strike, our
house will stand firm. And when the Lord comes, He will find a heart ready for Him.
Amen.🙏🙏🙏
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