Daily Catholic Reflection: September 12, 2020, Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

1 Corinthians 10:14-22,

Psalm 116: 12-13.17-1 8,

Luke 6:43-49 Full Readings

Most Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 Upon which Foundation is Your Life?

 Is it on a rock? Is it on Sand? Does your life produce good fruits or bad ones? How can we know a good foundation on which to build our lives? How can we be able to produce good fruits? The Gospel today as well as first reading answers these questions.

 

Our daily experience tells us that one who builds a house  upon a strong foundation, the house will last longer than the one who builds on a weak foundation. It further tells us that the foundation is very fundamental in a house, the whole house depends on it. This is the same to our lives. Jesus tells that the one who hears his word and puts it in practice is like the one who builds his house upon the rock and such a person will lack nothing. When our lives are built in the word of Jesus, we are filled with his Spirit and it is this Spirit which will enable us to bear good fruits. 

Building our lives upon Jesus' words means depending solely on him either in times of joy and sadness and in times of great need and he will not let us down. In contrast, building our lives on a weak foundation is depending on ourselves. When we think we know everything and that we don't need Jesus in our lives and his Spirit, we are building our lives on a weak foundation and the worldly storms will easily take us away which ends up to death both physical and spiritual. Where have you built your life? 

Our character will reveal upon which foundation our lives are built. When our lives are in Jesus we shall have a sound mind and hence produce good fruits through our actions and words. In contrast, it is very hard if not impossible to produce good fruits if we are on a weak foundation and solely  depend on ourselves and on what the world deceives with. They will know us from our fruits. Remember our characters don't affect us alone but also others, for instance, a parent who is a thief will bear most probably a thief or train him in such and a God fearing parents will most probably bear and train a God fearing child? Therefore, before you complain of the behaviours of your child, examine yours first. 

Lastly, St Paul tells us not to be schizophrenic Christians, that is, having two stands or having two foundations, as he uses the phrase that you cannot take share at the table of the Lord and at the table of the demons. He warns us that in this way we make the Lord angry. Brethren, living a double life is dangerous and not only affects us spiritually but also ruins our physical energy. Most times we find we profess Lord on our lips while inside we are full of anger, hate, resentment and evil thoughts. This is not a good Christian life. To overcome this we need to solely give our lives to Jesus and will transform us. 

Reflect today on how well your life is built upon a strong foundation, Jesus. Reflect also on which kind of fruits do you produce in your life and then on how faithful you are to Jesus by not living a double life. Ask the Spirit of the Lord to help discern the will of God and do it in your life. 

Let us Pray.

Lord Jesus, you are the sure foundation and source of life and strength for us. Give me wisdom and strength to live according to your truth and to reject every false way. May I be a doer of your word and not a hearer only.

Be blessed