GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 23RD JUNE 2016
THURSDAY OF THE 12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
1ST READING: 2Kings 24:8-17
PSALM: Psalm 79:1-5, 8,9
GOSPEL: Matthew 7:21-29
THEME: THE TRUE DISCIPLE
St. Augustine is quoted as saying, “If you believe what you like in the gospels and reject what you do not like, it is not the gospel you believe but yourself.” There are quite a number of people today who go by the name “Christians” but do not submit fully to the Word of God. Rather, they choose to hold on to their ideas and propagate them as the gospel.
Jesus in today’s Gospel text addresses would-be disciples of his. He says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt. 7:21). In the two verses that follow, Jesus categorically says that on judgement day he will tell many who claim to have prophesied, exorcised and performed mighty deeds in his name that “I never knew you” (cf. Mt. 7:22-23).
The true disciple, Jesus continues, is the one who puts into practice the words of the master. Such a person, he adds, “will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock” (Mt. 7:24-25).
In pursuit of breakthroughs in life, quite a number of believers have been astutely led astray to ignore the potency of the Word of God and rather put into practice the words of man. It appears that many “believers” tremble more at the words of the preacher than at the Word of God. The consequent effect is that their lives are not built on Jesus Christ who is the rock of our salvation. In the face of any little challenge they give up and are lost.
To aid our memory in our quest to follow the Lord as true disciples, we can consider the 3 “L”s of Christian discipleship:
1. Listen to the Word of God
2. Love the Word of God
3. Live the Word of God.
Finally, let us always remember that when Christ comes in judgement, he will acknowledge as his own only those who put his words into practice.
Teach me, O Lord, to do your will for you are my God. Let your Holy Spirit inspire me to take the steps that lead to eternal life in your Kingdom. For the sake of Christ, your Son, I pray. Amen
Fr. Andrews Obeng, SVD
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)