Matthew 7:21, 24-27
This gospel reading is very reminiscent of the song “Two Sets of Jonses.” In the song, the band sings about one man whose house is built on “sandy foundation they managed to lay” and has a lot of money. The other man built his house “on the rock of Christ Jesus,” but was poorer than the wealthy man. But when “the rain came down and it blew the four walls down,” only one set of Jonses was standing that day. Who do you think was still standing that day? In this Gospel reading, Jesus talks to his disciples that the wise man built his house on rock and withstood the storm, while the fool built his house on sand and his house was completely ruined. This story relates the images that Jesus sets forth to listening to what He says. If we listen to Him but do not act on them, then we are much like the fool and our faith, like the fool’s house, will be completely destroyed in a storm that we might encounter. On the other hand, we can listen to Him and act on what He says and be like the wise man whose house withstood the storm. I believe that we all someday soon reach a point in our lives where our faith will be challenged. This challenge will be the storm that we will encounter. Like the song and Jesus says: where will you build your house? Is your faith in Jesus? Or is your faith based on something you build yourself?