Date: Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture Text: Matthew 7:21-29
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. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’
“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.”
When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Breaking the text open – background and summary:
The gospel reading for today completes our reading of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount from Matthew. Jesus sums up His teaching by reminding us that the Kingdom of heaven is for those who do the will of the Father, namely, those who love the LORD with all their being and love one another well. All of the Sermon’s teachings boil down to that.
Meditating on the text with personal questions:
Is love of the LORD my motivation? Is love of the LORD my vocation? Am I living this daily?
Praying:
LORD, Almighty Father, You created us and You called us into being. You have woven within our very being your image and likeness, love itself. And we are called to be beings of love first and foremost of You. And our love of You calls us to love one another well. Send your Spirit to stir within us so that we might live that love well as Jesus, your beloved Son, taught us to live, beginning with humility and the recognition that without You we would not be. Grant that our lives, our words and our actions are in accord with your will for us and for our world and that they may bring You glory and joy. We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.
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