Day 5 of Advent, 12/07/23: The Storm Will Come (My 7:21-27)

12/07/2023

Day 5 of Advent, 12/07/23: The Storm Will Come (My 7:21-27)

"The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house" (Mt 7:25, 27).

Matthew 7:21 is one of the scariest verses in the whole Bible. What is Jesus' criteria for knowing or not knowing us on the day of judgment? It is simply our response to the word of God.

The rain, floods and strong winds are what happens in life. These storms symbolize all the trials, testings, tribulations and temptations that everyone encounters--sooner or later. I did not notice this before but the storms of life do not discriminate: it comes regardless of whether or not you obey God's word (Mt 7:25, 27). The only difference is in the outcome. Those who obey God's word will not be hurt or harmed by the storm in the end, but those who do not obey will crash and burn.

This Advent is meaningful because of the current storm that I am in. I know what God's word says. All I need to do is to obey His word, which is easier said than done during a storm. I pray to put into practice what I know to be true. I pray to trust God (Prov 3:5), thank God (1 Th 5:18), think about God (Phil 4:8), talk to God (1 Th 5:17; Phil 4:6) and talk about God (Ps 51:13).

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Bishop Robert Barron <wof@wordonfire.org>
Date: Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 1:14 AM
Subject: Daily Gospel Reflection (12/07/23)
To: Benjamin Toh <benjamintoh@gmail.com>

Thursday, December 7, 2023

Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Matthew 7:21, 24–27

Friends, today's Gospel challenges us to act on the Good News. On what precisely is the whole of your life built?

Your heart or soul is the center of you, the place where you are most authentically and deeply yourself. That is your point of contact with God. There you will find the energy that undergirds and informs all the other areas of your life: physical, psychological, emotional, relational, and spiritual. If you are rooted in God at the level of your heart and soul, then you will be following the intentions and commands of God, and you can withstand anything.

But this does not mean that if we follow God's commands, the winds and floods will not come. In Jesus' parable, both builders—the one who follows the commands of God and the one who doesn't—experience the rain and the floods that symbolize all the trials and temptations and difficulties at the surface of your life. If at the very center of your life you are linked to God, the storms and floods will come, but they will not destroy you.