Thursday of the First Week of Advent

Today's Mass Readings

In this first week of Advent, we continue the book of the prophet Isaiah and also continue with readings involving the Kingdom of Heaven, which was a prominent theme in the last few weeks of our liturgical year. Today’s selection from Isaiah speaks of triumph for those who have trusted in the Lord. Those nations who have lived God’s will find welcome in the strong and protected city. These people have lived the truth of God as their rock and hence find security in this rock. Meanwhile, other lofty cities are humbled as they fall to the ground to be trampled by the needy and the poor. We can understand these lofty cities as concerned more with their own success than in fidelity to God and hence charity to the lowest of their society. The gospel passage from Matthew also draws on the theme of the rock. Jesus notes that not everyone who petitions him will find their salvation in the Kingdom of Heaven. Rather, it is those who have done the will of the Father. This is how we build our house on the rock of God, by dedicating our lives to doing his will, to loving as God loves.

In the incarnate Jesus Christ, we come to see how to love as God loves. It is a sacrificial and compassionate love indicated by his life, death, and resurrection. As Jesus tells us in today’s passage, it is not enough to hear Jesus’ words and then go about our business. We must instead take these words to heart such that they transform us. Then we will build our house on rock, with confidence that our house will stand and remain standing despite the storms that pass.

This building is something that we must do together. As a Church, we must be dedicated to building on the rock of Christ, to listening to his words and striving to do God’s will. Such a Church will be marked by God’s own sacrificial love, extending charity to the poor and needy and standing firm to Christian principles rather than personal goals of worldly success. As Advent continues, let us bear in mind that the Kingdom of Heaven is a kingdom. We won’t get there alone, but by relying on each other.

Today, let us take some time to meditate on how we might support those around us more fully in living Christian lives. How might we together build our house on the rock, which is God? How might we listen to and act upon Jesus’ words as a Church?

- Maria Morrow