Rock Solid
Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
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.
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven…”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
This is one of those uncomfortable Gospel passages that we often don’t like to visit, but should. Jesus is saying that to enter the kingdom of God, we must do the will of His Father in heaven, and we must know Him. It is not simply enough to be members of the right religion, or even to do powerful spiritual things. We must do what God asks us to do, and we must seek to know Him.
The most fundamental things that God asks us to do are to avoid mortal sin, and to fulfill the basic precepts of the Church. These precepts are: to attend Mass on Sunday and holy days, to confess sins at least once yearly, to receive the Eucharist at least during Easter season, to observe days of fasting and abstinence, and to help provide (materially) for the Church. These precepts are the minimum to be followed, unless we have legitimate reason not to do so. In prayer, consider if there are precepts we are not following, or mortal sins that we have committed and not confessed.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above. (Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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