Reflection
2 Kings 24:8-17
Psalm 79
Matthew 7:21-29
In today’s gospel, the last verse might very well be the most telling of all of the verses today: “When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at His teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
Before Jesus came on the scene, the scribes would teach on the authority of Moses and the Mosaic law. Jesus, however, is teaching on His own authority – a realization of the people that He was not just another prophet because even the prophets did not teach on their own authority.
Recognizing that Jesus is our Lord is important, and additionally, it is important to turn our whole lives over to Him. The words we hear in today’s gospel can be troubling because it makes it sound as if we can try and try and try to do what we think we should be doing, and then fail to get to heaven. Here’s the thing, we need not try to do what we think we should do, but rather what Jesus tells us we should do.
Many times, we can get caught up in “doing Catholic” instead of “being Catholic”. “Doing Catholic” is going to Mass, donating to the Church, getting our kids to Family Faith Formation, etc….. “Being Catholic” is doing all of those things but also living the Beatitudes. It is making every single aspect of our life reflect the faith and morals taught by the Church at the direction of the Holy Spirit.
It is a great day! Go smile at God today!