The Good News for the Day, June 27th, 2024
Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (374)
Jesus says to people inspired by him: “Not everybody saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will get into the Realm of What Is Right. It will be only those doing what my Father in the Other Realm wants.
Many a person will be saying to me on that day when things count, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we speak out truth in your name Didn’t we get rid of demons – those harmful influences – in your name? Didn’t we do impressive things in your name?’
Then I will tell them in all seriousness: “I have never known who you were. Go away—you who do so much wrong!’
Everyone who listens to these words of mine—and puts them into practice —will be like some wise person who would build their house on a solid-rock foundation. The rain might fall, the floods come, and the winds blow and buffet that house. But it won’t collapse – the building had been set solidly on rock!
Anybody who hears these words of mine – but fails to put them into practice – will be like some fool who would build their house on a quicksand foundation. The rain might fall, the floods come, and the winds blow and buffet the house. The building will collapse – a catastrophe. (
When Jesus finished this Sermon, people were impressed by what He said. He was teaching authentically —and not like the persuaders of their educated class. (Matthew 7)
Nothing is so specifically directed at those of us who are devout, ordained, a religious leader of any kind, a preacher or most specifically someone who calls himself or herself a Christian.
It is the easy thing to preach Jesus, to wear a “Christian” shirt, write or repeat or share a post on Facebook demanding that others proclaim their love for Jesus. Even as I write these things I am aware that the call is to do and not to preach, to understand the spirit of forgiveness, understanding, and healing others – and these things – rather than pushing for some kind of conversion of others.
I think today’s world has echoed so much of the past and its – our – effort to be ostentatious rather than humble, to preach rather than to practice, to pray with sincerity out loud, but my very efforts at sincerity push out the prayer part of the prayer. (I just want other people to know how sincere I am – and that I pray well.)
I sometimes think that those of us who are more dedicated to Jesus should say a litany every day in which all that we do is say – “keep me from hypocrisy,” and “I believe, help my unbelief,” (“Lord send people to humble me, to correct me, to criticize me, to laugh at me, and to ignore me – and let me do good things no one knows and above all make sure I really care about the things of God and not what people think of me.”)
The good news is this reminder to do the will of God, always do the will of God
G
jorisheise 