Rock vs Sand

 Note: There should be two slices of daily bread today since yesterday's evidently came out of the oven too late to make the table.

 Mt 7: 21, 24-27

True and False 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 who is in heaven.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

²⁴ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. ²⁵ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. ²⁶ But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

The simple visual of a house built on rock rather than on sand brings home the lesson that words or good intentions are not enough of a solid foundation upon which to base our relationship with Jesus or develop, build, if you will, an solid spirituality.  It cannot be based on whim or feeling, but on a solid relationship with Jesus.  Relationships take time to develop, an investment of self, a discarding of selfishness, and the discipline to press on when feelings fall short. A solid building is not constructed in a day, neither is a solid friendship. Advent provides the time (almost four full weeks this year) for reflection, serious reading of Scripture, sacrifice and some degree of service to those in need.  Our lives as Marists are devoted to "the least favored."  Now's the time to do something special for them. Let us build and keep on building this Advent, and the rest of our lives!

Bro. Rene