“A House of Built on Rock.” My Lumen brothers and I met for a Gospel reflection two weeks ago where we somewhat presciently focused on on Matthew 7:21-27. The next two weeks in the markets got me pretty tied up, so I just got my notes together for them yesterday. They are so relevant to our collective present situation, I am sharing them with you.
“Incredibly, it was just two weeks ago that we, somewhat presciently, did our special circle on building our spiritual house on a foundation of rock, so that it can survive a storm when it comes. Little did we guess the a category five hurricane was days away from making landfall. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get my notes out, but as you might guess, I’ve been a little busy. In any case, here is a list of the key points all of you made for “House of Rock.”
“You get what you pay for.” We asked why build a house of sand at all, when a house of rock would clearly be stronger. Answer: it’s cheaper, quicker, easier. Less sacrifice. Less effort. But in the end, you get what you pay for. Building a strong spiritual foundation doesn’t come in a flash; it takes time and attention.
“Love is the rock.” We thought about what, ultimately, is it all about. What is the rock we are seeking to lay the foundation on? Answer: the unselfish, unwavering love of Christ for us, and through Him, our love for everyone else. Plenty of opportunities to evidence this love in the weeks ahead…
“Our brotherhood holds us up in the storm.” Another element of the foundation, which is rooted in love, is our special brotherhood, our deep love for each other. We have each other’s backs. When you enter a battle like we’re entering, and you have your brothers at your side, you are more fearless, more confident, more sure of victory. And importantly, if one of us is wounded, develops a crack in our spiritual foundation, we can help our brothers repair it, patch it up, get back in the fight.
“Being a follower is a start, but not deep enough.” A strong foundation requires more than simply being a loyal follower; it requires action, discipleship. Through discipleship, we grow our own relationship with the Lord, and importantly, bring his love to others. In doing so, our own foundation deepens and strengthens; our Faith grows; our Confidence on God escalates.
“Pain and suffering are part of the journey.” The human condition is programmed, unfortunately, for pain and suffering. Whether a personal health crisis, or a national one, suffering is unavoidable. When suffering comes, we can use it lean into God and improve our faith in Him, or we can run from it, blame Him, and crack our foundation. The choice is ours. One leads to eternity, one doesn’t.
Resolution: In the weeks ahead, we will each add an extra 10 minutes each day for a simple, meditative prayer, speaking simultaneously to God, and importantly, listening in our hearts for his reply.
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