On a day when our Gospel is from Mt. 7-- how "the winds blew and buffeted the house"-- Southern California faces high wind warnings, downed power lines, and fallen trees. The daily readings and the realities of life are no coincidence!
It got me thinking about the two scenarios presented in the Gospel: a person who built his house on the solid foundation of Christ, and one who built on the shifting sands of the world. In both cases, the winds and storms came. The person who built upon Christ had no special guarantee or freedom from the storm.
In fact, Christ guarantees us that trials will come, not only on this occasion, but also on many others. We have to ask ourselves what kind of foundation we'd like in place while we weather those storms: one that shifts and is blown from underneath us, or one that is firm and everlasting?
A strong foundation isn't built by chance. If we choose Christ, we should not waste any time working on that foundation, building it up through prayer, strengthening it through the frequent reception of the Sacraments, and reinforcing it with the wisdom of Scripture.
As parents and teachers, we know that the trials or "storms" of life affect our children intensely. Preparing a solid foundation not only aids us in dealing with life's difficulties, but it helps us buffer our children, who depend so greatly on us to make sense of life's hardships.
Lord, help us to build our house upon You! May we turn to you always, not just during the "storms" of life! And while we're at it, Lord, we pray that aid and comfort come to those affected by today's weather. Help us respond to calls for assistance.
No comments:
Post a Comment