Jesus call me not merely to hear his word but to daily put it into action.

Reading: Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. Matthew 7:24.

Good morning, happy Thursday, and many blessings my dear family.

Today’s Gospel (Matthew 7:21-27) is a very familiar one.  Once again, Jesus is preaching about the Kingdom of heaven.  He tells his listeners that any person who attends to His words and then acts on His words will build their house on the foundation of “rock.”  

We all know that there is a clear difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is much simpler than listening.  When I hear the other person, I literally hear their words and the content.  However, I may not hear the layers of emotion or meaning that the individual may be trying to convey.  When we truly attend to what another person is saying, we not only hear their words, we also are attentive to their tone of voice, facial expression, anxiety level or their sense of calm.  We also may get a sense of what they have not said.  

Much of our day is spent hearing what others are saying.  And this is appropriate.  Most of our conversations are functional or casual conversations.  However, do we recognize it when another person needs us to truly listen to them?  At times, we all need someone who will do more than simply hear our words. We need individuals in our lives who take the time to truly listen to us.  

However, Jesus also wants us to listen to Him.  He desires that we truly attend to what He is saying.  In his Holy Rule, St. Benedict instructs us: “listen with the ear of your heart!”  Listening with our ears is second nature to us.  However, when we “listen with our hearts,” we are fully present and attentive to the other person.  Today Jesus will invite you (and me) to “listen attentively with the ear of your heart.”  Will we take the time and give Him the attention He desires? 

St Ignatius also taught that love is expressed more in deeds than in words. Without good deeds there is no real life at all! This is our life; listening to the word of God and doing it. We are building up the Church, the Body of Christ.

Jesus, true discipleship is as strong as the foundation on which it is built. Jesus calls us not merely to hear your word but to daily put it into action. One of the reasons why many people do not internalize the message of the Social Gospel of Jesus is because they continue to believe that it is a way of thinking. No way. This gospel is a way of living. People must see Jesus in my actions not in my words.

Blessings,

Fr. Luis+