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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Everyone then who hears 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 beat on that house,

but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock.

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And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them

will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house,

and it fell—and great was its fall!’

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– Matthew 7:24-27 (NRSV)

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REFLECTION…

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Those of us who try to put Christ’s teaching into practice,

even if we experience personal difficulties

or live during times of upheaval in the life of the Church

or are surrounded by error,

will stay firm in the faith,

just like the wise man who builds his house on rock.

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Also, if we are to stay strong in times of difficulty,

we need, when things are calm and peaceful,

to accept little contradictions with a good grace;

to be very refined in our relationship with God and with others;

and to perform the duties of our state in life in a spirit of loyalty and abandonment to God’s will.

By acting in this way we are laying down a good foundation,

maintaining the edifice of our spiritual life

and repairing any cracks which make their appearance.

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If we listen to Christ’s teachings and build on them,

the Lord will fill our heart and life

with trustful confidence for the present

and great hope for tomorrow:

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QUOTE…

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“Building your house on rock means…

to stake your life and hopes on that which “thieves cannot steal nor rust corrode” (Mat 6:20),

on that which does not pass away.

“Heaven and earth will pass away,” Jesus said,

“but my words shall not pass away.” (Mat 24:35)

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Building your house on rock means quite simply building on God.

He is the rock.”

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– Father Raniero Cantalamessa

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“In contemporary society

we live in a situation that is, in a sense, precarious,

characterized by insecurity and fragmentation of choices.

Often there are no valid points of reference to guide our lives.

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It becomes, therefore, ever more important

to build our lives and the complex of our social relations

on the stable rock of the Word of God…”,

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– Pope Benedict XVI

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Lord, thank You for giving me solid ground to stand on.

Jesus, You are my Rock on whom I build my hope.

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