Built on Rock

Homily for Thursday of the First Week in Advent

There is an expression that people use when speaking about someone they can rely on and who is always there for them.  They say, "She is my rock" or "He is my rock."  To be a rock for someone may require great courage and resilience.   They are there when times are difficult, joyful, or challenging. They consistently do what they say they will do and deeply care for others. They are a safe haven.

Isaiah uses a different image, that of a strong city, a walled city. Jerusalem was surrounded by a wall on all four sides. The New Jerusalem of the Book of Revelation speaks of a walled city that is built on 12 courses of stone and twelve gates. Today, cities no longer are walled in. As our population continues to grow, our cities begin to sprawl and eat up more and more territory. These cities rely upon those who protect us through the law and its enforcement.

Matthew’s Gospel invites us to have faith in God who is our eternal rock. God provides strength, love, and hope. God roots us and anchors us when the winds of life push and pull.  We can ask ourselves if we are building the dreams of our life on the rock, who is God.  Or are we settling on the sand of cultural disruptions and superficiality which can blow us away from God when the storms surge in?

The image of a house built on rock is an apt image for a person who places trust and faith in God’s providential care. Faith leads to action by design. Every time we gather for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we are nourished by the proclaiming of sacred Scripture and the reception of Jesus, present in the Eucharist. We are not meant to keep this hidden within our hearts. We are not meant to build walls around our hearts. The ministry of every Christian is to open our hearts not only to God but also to our neighbor. When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we grow in our relationship with God and are more freely able to share God’s charity and mercy with those we encounter.