Building a Solid Church
Dec. 5: Thursday of the First Week of Advent
Today’s readings are all about construction, building something that lasts, which requires concerted effort, a time for preparation, and…
Speaking of building, I now realized this is my third Advent as an amateur theologian. If you’re one of my regular readers, I would appreciate it if you shared these posts with friends who would also like these little reflections.
Reading I
Is 26:1-6
On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:
“A strong city have we; he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just, one that keeps faith. A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; in peace, for its trust in you.”
Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock. He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust. It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor.
Isaiah is describing a rather complex scenario here. We have a strong city, but only because God set it up. God will build walls, but he’ll also open up the gates. And while He’s building this strong city, He’s tearing down another.
Great things are coming, but we can’t do them without God. And God is welcoming everyone; it’s not exclusively for you and me, or for certain special people.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD’s;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
You can see how this ties in with the first reading. We’re thankful to God for the great city, because he opened the gates for us.
We trust in God, not in Man, including (and especially) ourselves. The greatness of God should humble us in the great city.
Alleluia
Is 55:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call him while he is near.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
As Catholics, we believe the Lord can be found in the Eucharist, at mass and adoration. We should definitely seek Him out when we can.
Gospel
Mt 7:21, 24-27
Jesus said to his disciples: “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 in heaven.
“Everyone who listens to 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 buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”
Ever since I was a little kid, this parable reminds me of the three little pigs.
This is actually appropriate, because what distinguishes parables from, say, allegories is that there is no ambiguity. A priest once told me that every parable has one, clear meaning, and that’s intentional. Every story teaches a lesson, but the more complex the narrative, the more likely the audience is to miss the point. So, like a cartoon, detail and complexity aren’t lacking; they’re beside the point.
A child in Sunday school can see the point in today’s Gospel. If you don’t listen and believe, when trouble comes to your life, you won’t be able to stand it. You need a firm foundation of faith to survive the buffeting storms of real life.
As an adult, that lesson doesn’t change. The difference is, you’ve probably experienced some serious storms. Whether you got through them or not probably depends on where you built your house. Some people have had their whole life collapse because they built on sand. The big question is, where will they re-build? In the same place, or will they climb up the eternal Rock and build there?