Building Life on Solid Ground (Matthew 7:21, 24-27)

Thursday of the First Week of Advent (Year C)(I) - 5 December

From the Gospel according to Matthew

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.’

The Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ.

This passage appears at the conclusion of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), serving as the powerful closing statement of His longest recorded sermon. It follows teachings about false prophets and knowing them by their fruits, making it part of a larger discourse about authentic discipleship.

When examining this passage across the Gospels, we find its parallel in Luke 6:46-49, though Matthew's account provides more elaborate detail. Matthew distinctively includes the explicit connection to entering the kingdom of heaven (v.21), setting it apart from Luke's version. Another notable difference is Matthew's emphasis on "doing the will of the Father," whereas Luke's account focuses more on "coming to Jesus." Despite these variations, both Gospels incorporate the powerful metaphor of building on rock versus sand, indicating this teaching held significant importance in early Christian instruction and was likely a key message Jesus repeatedly shared with His followers.

Today’s Reflection: