“ ‘Everyone one 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.”
Mt. 7: 24 – 29
~~~~~
Are you busy building sandcastles? We’re all busy but are we busy building and
investing in things that last? Are we staking our projects, efforts, time,
talents, gifts, and heart on things that are supported by a solid foundation? We
tend to think of foundation and structural realities after a storm. Witnessing
the devastation prompts the question of how to rebuild and forces one to
reassess the foundation one initially chose. Similarly, we can think
foundational questions of life are only applicable when shit hits the fan. However, as Christians, the art of foundation
is something we are pouring and deciding every day. To over simplify the Gospel reading from today,
if I may, it seems to me that the choice is between rock, listening and acting
on the Gospel, or sand, listening and ignoring the call. Wherever you are in
the spiritual life and wherever you are in your current circumstances, it seems
as though God is the contractor who comes back again and again to ask us,
lovingly, what foundation are you building upon? I believe this choice is one
we make constantly.
Knowing the devastating effects of building on sand, it
would seem as though the obvious choice would be to build upon rock. However,
it’s easier, in the here and now, to build on sand. Building on rock involves
cutting through some tough surfaces and working with an uneven lot as the rocks
weren’t so kind as to think about future building projects when they formed
their own arrangement. Yet, as arduous
as building on a solid foundation might be it is more effective, more
efficient, and more rewarding than building sandcastles.
What do you build your life upon? What are the ways in which you make yourself
available and accessible to listen to the whisper of the Holy Spirit to hear
and see God’s blueprint for your life? What does this mean in reality and what
does this look like, beside a cute analogy? Bl. Pier Giorgio shows us as he built his life
around prayer, the sacraments, community, and an active love of neighbor. He
lived in a way in which his foundation was the advice from the Sermon on the
Mount as well as the Person of Christ who bestowed the Sermon.
Verso l’alto,
K Coop
I’d be building my kingdom just to watch it fade away, it’s
true
I've been wandering
All my life you've been calling me
To a home you know I've been needing
I'm a broken stone
So lay me in the house you're building
All my life you've been calling me
To a home you know I've been needing
I'm a broken stone
So lay me in the house you're building
It is when we have chosen the Rock of salvation and Christ
as our cornerstone that we can proclaim with the Psalmist: “Though a host
encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I
will be confident.” Psalm 27:3
Let us hear the Voice of Truth
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