9th A

9th A
With this Gospel passage, Matthew has Jesus returning to a theme which is pronounced in his Gospel. The theme is: words are not enough. Action is required. But this passage also shows that even some actions aren’t what Jesus is requiring, e.g.”did we not prophesy in your name..., drive out demons in your name..., mighty deeds in your name?” IN YOUR NAME is not sufficient. .The proper actions have been outlined by Jesus previously in this sermon on the Mount.”the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” There must be an integrity between inner commitment and external actions (6:1-18)

Verses 24-27 may be viewed as a parable in two scenes. It warns and exhorts. “Everyone who listens to (hears) these words of mine and acts on them...” Again hearing and acting are joined. Jesus has articulated God’s will.

“will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.”“...floods came and the winds blew and buffeted the house...” Challenges and threats are part of the following of Jesus. “But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.”

This is followed by contrasting the “fool, who built his house on sand” and contrasting the result “And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Both the wise and foolish live together. For the disciples there is both a warning of the terrible consequences of hearing and not doing, and encouragement that if they hear and do Jesus’ teaching, they will be vindicated through the judgment.

Attendance at Mass allows us to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Mass is ended the task of doing the will of Jesus, which is the will of the Father, must begin and be carried out. How many people compartmentalize their attendance at Mass and separate it from the living out of the teachings of Jesus? What actions will I do this week to actualize the teachings of Jesus?