A FOOLISH MAN…

Isaiah 26:1-6

1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.
2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in.
3 Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.
4 Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.5 For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust.6 The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy.”

Matthew 7:21,24-27

21 “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.24 “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;27 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.” 

MEDITATION

ISAIAH THE PROPHET employ structural imagery to describe a fortified dwelling place, His kingdom the Church, wherein God will manifest Himself to a humble people who will be shielded against temporal and atmospheric calamities. Words such as rock, bulwark and gate appear to be typological allusions to Simon Peters election to lead and guide the Church on matters of faith, beliefs and doctrines.Mt 16:18

THE GOSPEL READING: Christ Jesus proverbially pulls the rug from under the feet of those of us who think that we will be saved by our mere repeated employing of His holy name! Not so says Jesus! Our salvation is predicated upon our obedience and submission to the teachings and instructions of the Magisterial office that Christ established upon the office of Peter! 

Our Lord foresaw the possibility of disunity and apostacy as exampled when most of His disciples abandoned Him (Jn 6:66-68) because they refused to accept His bread of life teaching! Our faith and beliefs in Christ Jesus is not a construct of our personal making, however it has been handed on to us by those whom Christ called, catechized, consecrated and sent to make them fishers of men! Rom 10:14-18 It would be foolish and may cost us our salvation if we reject the word of God as preached and taught by the Church (1Tim 3:15) that was founded upon Peter some two thousand years ago!

LET US PRAY:Psalms 118:1-9!19:21,25-271 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever! 8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation.
25 Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech thee, give us success!
26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!

Author. Henry R SYLVESTER 
Note: The daily scripture readings are taken from the Roman Missal which the Catholic Church use in the daily Celebration of the Holy Eucharist throughout the world.Some weekly readings may differ because of the celebration of local feast days.