Readings: Kings 24:8-17; Psalm 79; Matthew 7:21-29

They say, (whoever “they” are!) you can easily understand a person’s values by examining 2 things: a person’s calendar and their bank account.  I was reminded of this simple old-fashion wisdom as I read today’s Gospel from Matthew. Jesus teaches that we must hear the word of God and act on those words to enter the Kingdom of heaven.  “Not everyone who say ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the kingdom of heaven.” It is not enough to study the word of God and proclaim it: we must live the words through our actions.

A combination of the pandemic and the global cry for racial justice provides us an opportunity to examine how we are bringing our values to action. Jesus calls us to make sure our values are aligned with his teachings.  He uses the metaphor of a wise man building his house on rock. But he also implies building our home on rock, that is our hearts, our faithfulness, our relationships. If we do that, we can withstand the challenges and temptations of our secular world. Aligning our values with the values of the Gospel is a life-long process. It’s learning to listen to the heart and to see God in every situation. 

Today in reflection I ask for God’s help to exploring these questions:

• Are deeply held values that I espouse grounded in the teaching of Jesus?
• Do I spend my time and money giving priority to these values? 
• How can I push myself to go beyond my comfort zone as Jesus modeled throughout his life?
• When I feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the problems facing the world, how can I act in a way that shows my integrity? (fight or flight?)

Spending my time, talent and treasure in actions to promote solid values is a long-range plan worth implementing.

Good luck and God bless.

Fr. Brian