Today’s first reading from Isaiah (26:4) tells us that the Lord is an eternal Rock! Jesus in the Gospel today tells us that unless we fulfill the Father’s will, we shall not enter into the Kingdom of God. He then goes on to give us a beautiful image of living out the Father’s Will.
“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 solikdly on rock. And everyone who listen 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.” (Mt 7:24-27)
These Scriptures called to mind the chapel at the St. Malo retreat center in Colorado where I made my retreat prior to being ordained a bishop. The chapel there (pictured to the left) was built upon a huge rock formation. This chapel somewhat miraculously survived the recent floods in Colorado. The beautiful pond and stream that were below the chapel are now filled with trees and debris that were carried and deposited by the flood waters. Quite a powerful image of what Jesus is teaching us today about building our lives on HIM as our Rock.
As we build our lives upon Christ, He reveals to us the Father’s Will. Very often, fulfilling God’s Will is accomplished in simple ways, namely being faithful to the promises made in our given state in life. Perhaps what is most needed is the faith that God does have a Will for each of us, and a deep desire to help us know and accomplish His Will.
To know God through Jesus Christ and accomplish His Will through the promptings of the Holy Spirit is indeed a wise plan for life. To do anything less than that Jesus teaches us is foolish, and ultimately ends in ruin.
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