1st Week of Advent, Thursday – 2nd December 2021 — Gospel: Mt 7,21.24-27
Deceiving Oneself
Jesus states emphatically that entry into God’s kingdom is determined by “doing” the Father’s will and not by mere words, lofty titles and fervent pleas. That is, right action is more important than right words. In order to do the Father’s will in the right perspective Jesus narrates the parable of the two builders. The point here is that besides genuine action, one’s foresight is to be noted. At first glance, the builder who builds his house on sand and the one who builds on rock, both are doing the same construction. It is only when the rain falls, the storm comes, and the wind blows, that the difference is seen. The house built on rock continues to stand, whereas the one built on sand falls. St.James exhorts us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (Jas 1,22). First, we must hear the word and then allow it to penetrate our hearts in order to respond with a genuine action. The wise person represents those who put Jesus’ words into practice. Those who pretend to have faith are foolish builders. When the storms of life come, the structures fool no one; not even they fool God, but the builder deceives himself.
