Being Wise Better Than A Fool

𝐃𝐄𝐂. 𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈: 𝐈𝐬𝐚 𝟐𝟔:𝟏-𝟔

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟏𝟏𝟖:𝟖-𝟗, 𝟏𝟗-𝟐𝟏, 𝟐𝟓-𝟐𝟕 “𝐁𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐓 𝟕:𝟐𝟏, 𝟐𝟒-𝟐𝟕

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤.” (𝐯.𝟐𝟒)  

         There are two messages in this Gospel passage that form part of our preparation for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The first is the warning of Jesus that: “𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧.” (𝐯.𝟐𝟏)        

         There is a reason for this and that is to distinguish the proclamations and miracles being performed by false prophets and exorcists that abound in those days with the teachings and healing miracles that were attributed to Jesus and his disciples.

         In fact, there were many instances also when such healings were being performed in the name of God by those who are outside of the circle of Jesus. But many of those who could do these things were doing it to gain fame and fortune and this is what Jesus was referring to in this verse.

         For Jesus there is only one way to prove the sincerity of those doing these things and that is by practice. What Jesus is simply saying is that not everyone who talks about heaven belongs to the Kingdom of God. Jesus is more concerned about walking rather than talking. What he wants is for his disciples to do what is right and not just say what is right.

         Fine words can never be a substitute for fine deeds. As love has something to do with teaching and with healing or as we do it in the Community with praying over those in need of prayers, proof of that love is obedience to the Word of God.

        I once heard a Catholic evangelist say that our character is revealed in the choices we make and he added that – we need to define ourselves or others will which means that we need to show our true nature that is hidden in God. What lies beneath this verse is the idea of judgment. No matter how you reflect upon v.21, the day of reckoning is written all over it.

        What is says is that while man may succeed at times to camouflage his real self with what may appear as good deeds, there will still come a time when such pretensions will be exposed. We probably can deceive men with words but Our God cannot be mocked (𝐆𝐚𝐥 𝟔:𝟕) because man sees what is before him but God sees what is in our hearts.

        In today’s Gospel, Jesus also reminds us not to place our security on the ephemeral but on what will withstand the test of time and will last forever. As with these 𝐯𝐯.𝟐𝟒-𝟐𝟕, many are wondering why Jesus defers to the use of parables to shed light on his teachings.

        This is because many of these parables are akin to the Jews and it would be easier for them to understand what Jesus is saying because they are familiar with the parables which are illustrations of actual life situations.

        Again, in those days the Jews think of security in terms of fortresses, encampments, a house built on a strong foundation and Jesus equated the need to hear and listen (obey) the Word of God with the strong foundations that can withstand the forces of nature (trials, frustrations, challenges and persecution that come our way).

        What Jesus was also pointing out in this Gospel for today was that on judgment day, only our relationship with God will matter. Many think and believe that if they appear to be good and say religious things, they are assured of eternal life. On the contrary, only faith in Christ that is rooted in obedience will count on the day of reckoning.

         The Scriptures itself warns that destruction will surely come to those who place their security and their spiritual future on mundane things rather than on the Grace of God. The prophet Isaiah refers to God as 𝐭𝐡𝐞 “𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐤 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥” (𝐈𝐬𝐚 𝟐𝟔:𝟒) and the Psalmist adds in 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟏𝟏𝟖:𝟖 “𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐧.”

         These very words of Scriptures should serve as a fitting reminder that Our God is the rock upon which we should build our house (𝐯.𝟐𝟒) because it is only the Word of God that can provide us protection from the storms of life. 

         Many of our brethren out there are also headed for destruction not only because they built their house on sand (𝐯.𝟐𝟔)but because of indifference. As membership in the Kingdom of God is a privilege it also carries with it a responsibility to also help others think where their lives are headed.

        More importantly, we are to help and guide others to the consequences of ignoring the message of Christ. Paul reminds us in 𝟏 𝐂𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟑 “𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲, 𝐬𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐝.”        

         We can only do this if we ourselves stand on a strong foundation because others are led to Christ by what they see. Jesus in today’s Gospel demands that we should listen and he is also urging us to do what we heard.

         Knowledge only becomes relevant when it is translated into action. Theory must lead to practice and theology must become our lifestyle and not just as a headgear.

         Jesus assures us that those who built their life’s foundation on his Word need not fear when the storms come because we can always take refuge in God who is our eternal rock. The question now is have we built our lives on his Word made flesh as if our lives depend on it? (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘋𝘦𝘤. 4, 2025)