Build your house on the Rock

Reflection on Matthew 7:21-27

Jesus said, 'It is not anyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.
Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock.But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!'

 Reflection

As I heard this Gospel at Mass this morning I immediately saw the relevance with my own situation. With the big super storm Bopha hitting the Philippines this week some people are asking me how is Josefina, her family and our house in Northern Samar. With close to 300 people drowned or covered by landslides, its obvious that they were not prepared for the possibility of their sudden death.
 

This Gospel message is a very timely reminder to people who have neglected to spend time with God. Many people tell me they believe in God or they call themselves Christians. But a large proportion of them would not admit to praying daily.  It is like saying you love someone and never spending time with them. The relationship is surely going to die. Its also like someone who say they are Panthers supporters but never go to the game. They are not true fans, just supporters in name only. Jesus warns us not to bank on His Divine assistance if we don’t put in our fair share of effort in keeping the relationship going.

I spoke with a politician yesterday and asked him if he spent time in daily prayer. His reply is quite a common fallacy of those who take themselves too seriously: “I am too busy doing good works to have the luxury of sitting in a church praying”.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta emphasised how prayer is the source of her strength and the most special part in her relationship with God. She always reserved special time to sit with God and communicate despite her gruelling life of service for God’s people. She never allowed her work to become a replacement for her intimate time of communication with the Creator. So for you who are reading this, try to schedule prayer into your daily routine, like you would with exercise or eating.

Or else you will hear the words of Jesus at your final judgement: “I don’t know you..”