Christ, The Solid Rock On Which I Stand
Introduction
When it took time for God’s promise to Abraham and Sarah to give him a son, Abraham begets a son from his maid Hagar. Ishmael, though rejected by Sarah, will become the forefather of the fierce and independent Bedouins.
“Not those who say, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom, but one who does the will of my Father.” We are familiar with Jesus’ Words, but do we follow them? Do we build on rock, that is, follow Jesus, or do we follow ourselves and our whims and so build on sand?
1 Reading: Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16
Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children. She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. Sarai said to Abram: “The LORD has kept me from bearing children. Have intercourse, then, with my maid; perhaps I shall have sons through her.” Abram heeded Sarai’s request. Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine. He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. When she became aware of her pregnancy, she looked on her mistress with disdain. So Sarai said to Abram: “You are responsible for this outrage against me. I myself gave my maid to your embrace; but ever since she became aware of her pregnancy, she has been looking on me with disdain. May the LORD decide between you and me!” Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you please.” Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her. The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.” But the LORD’s messenger told her: “Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment. I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger, “that they will be too many to count. Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to her: “You are now pregnant and shall bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, For the LORD has heard you, God has answered you. This one shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp.” Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 106:1b-2, 3-4a, 4b-5
R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. or: R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or proclaim all his praises? R.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people. R.
Visit me with your saving help,
that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance. R.
Alleluia: John 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 7:21-29
Jesus said to his disciples: “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. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.” When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
Commentary
Abram’s decision to have intercourse with Sarai’s maid, Hagar, resulted in the birth of a son who was anything but a blessing. Ishmael was the eponymous ancestor of the Israelites’ neighbours and enemies, the Ishmaelites. He was something of a wild man, notorious for his hostile and boorish conduct. The true son of promise, Isaac, was to be born later of the legitimate union between Abram and Sarai.
The antithetical parable in today’s Gospel speaks its own truth. Jesus stresses that the person true to the word of God is like a house built on rock, solid rock. The natural elements may rage against it, but it will remain firm and not be endangered by those forces.
Those who hear the word but fail to internalize it are like the fool who builds his house on sand. With the coming of the ram and winds, the house soon collapses. It cannot perdure.
It is one thing to be identified as Christian and quite another to embrace the faith with conviction and tenacity. There is no one in the church who is not at times beset by doubt and uncertainty. Questions arise about the validity of what we believe. But in faith we hold firm and ride out the storm. Abram was too eager to have relations with a slave girl. He paid a dear price by begetting an unruly and uncontrollable son. Let us pray that we do not surrender to convenience when our basic values are at stake.
Blessing
We want our life to be meaningful, to give direction to it. Let it be the direction given to it by God, by Jesus and his Gospel. Let us with Jesus seek God’s will in all we do, for then we are sure our life is built on rock, solid and consistent. May God fill you with his blessing: the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!