23rd Week in Ord. Time, Saturday – 12th September 2020 — Gospel: Lk 6,43-49
Test of obedience
In the concluding parable of the sermon, Jesus illustrates that doing the hard thing now gives confidence in the hard times ahead. When building a house, the wise man “goes an extra mile” of laying a strong foundation. Digging deep to establish a solid foundation is not the easy way, but when the storms come, the building will stand. Through this parable, Jesus teaches that the disciple should not only call him “Lord”, but also put into practice his teachings. By doing what he commands the disciples make the Lordship of Jesus a concrete and living reality. Obedience to the “tough” commands of our Lord proves a person to be a true follower of Christ. For example, it is a test of obedience to love our enemies, though it is not easy. But it does give us confidence that we are well established and well founded in our faith and obedience, because we are following our Lord’s command. In handling the tough tasks now, the genuine disciple is assured of enduring tough times that are sure to come in the future.
