GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 1ST DECEMBER 2016
THURSDAY OF THE 1ST WEEK OF ADVENT
1ST READING: Isaiah 26:1-6
PSALM: Psalm 118:1,8-9,19-21,25-27
GOSPEL: Matthew 7:21,24-27
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 believe in Christ; they believe in themselves.
Jesus, in today’s Gospel text, confronts that mentality when 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 (which are not part of our liturgical reading for today), 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 says “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” (Mat 7:24-25).
In pursuit of power and breakthroughs in life, quite a number of believers have been astutely led astray to ignore the potency of the word of God. It appears that many “believers” tremble more at the word of man (woman) than at the word of God. The consequent effect is that one’s life is no longer built on Jesus Christ who is the rock of our salvation but on the ideas of human beings. 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.
PRAYER: 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
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St. Arnold Janssen).