Today's Reflections
The True Disciple
Mt 7:21, 24-27
[Jesus said to his disciples,] 21“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.
24“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25The
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.
26And 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. 27The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them. The
Jews believe that the words of God are a sure foundation. Their story
as a people has risen and fallen on God’s words received and acted
upon—by the patriarchs and their descendants, by the kings and their
subjects, by the prophets and their hearers. Disobedience to God’s
words, which Isaiah refers to as “wonderful plans of old” (Is 25:1), has
brought sufferings, divisions, wars, defeat, invasions, famine, plagues
and deaths, and banishment from the Promised Land.
The
big leap with Jesus is: he is the fullness of God’s words, he is the
Word incarnate. His person and teachings form the definitive word of
God. At the Sermon on the Mount, he will declare, “You have heard that
it was said [in God’s words]… But I say to you…” (cf Mt 5:27-44).
The
Gospel asks us to look into ourselves and discover how definite is our
acceptance of and belief in Jesus’ teachings. Let us bring into prayer
those teachings that we find hard to accept and follow.
What principle drives you to do good:
in your family and marriage?
in your business and career?
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