First Reading (2 Kings 24,8-17)
Reading of the Second Book of Kings.
Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem for three months. His mother’s name was Noah, daughter of Elnathan, from Jerusalem. And he did evil before the Lord, according to all that his father had done. At that time, the officers of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, marched against Jerusalem and the city was besieged. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came in person to attack the city, while his soldiers besieged it. Then Jehoiachin, king of Judah, presented himself to the king of Babylon, with his mother, his servants, his princes, and his eunuchs. And the king of Babylon took them prisoners. This happened in the eighth year of his reign. Nebuchadnezzar took all the treasures from the temple of the Lord and from the royal palace, and broke all the golden articles that Solomon, king of Israel, had made for the temple of the Lord, as the Lord had announced. He took into captivity all of Jerusalem, all the princes and all the mighty men of the army, a total of ten thousand exiles, and all the blacksmiths and locksmiths; he only left the poorest population in the country. He deported Jehoiachin to Babylon, and in the same way exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon the queen mother, the king’s wives, his eunuchs, and all the nobles of the country. All the strong men, numbering seven thousand, the blacksmiths and locksmiths numbering a thousand, all the men capable of wielding weapons, were led into exile by the king of Babylon. And in Jehoiachin’s place he named his paternal uncle Mattaniah, changing his name to Sedecias.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Matthew 7,21-29)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who puts into practice the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, was it not in your name that we prophesied? Was it not in your name that we cast out demons? And was it not in your name that we performed many miracles?’ Then I will say to them publicly: I never knew you. Depart from me, you who do evil. Therefore, whoever hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. the rain, the floods came, the winds hit the house, but the house did not fall, because it was built on the rock. On the other hand, whoever hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a man without sense. who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew and beat against the house, and the house fell, and its ruin was complete!” When Jesus finished saying these words, the crowds were amazed at his teaching. In fact, he taught them as someone with authority and not as teachers of the law.
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we gather to reflect on the depths of God’s Word, finding direction and hope in the midst of life’s trials. The readings we heard today, from the second book of Kings and the Gospel of Matthew, invite us to examine our faith and our actions, in order to build our lives on a solid and unshakable foundation.
The first reading takes us to the reign of Jehoiachin, a young king of Judah who ruled for just three months before being taken captive to Babylon. The sacred author tells us that Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign and that he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord, according to everything his father had done. This story reminds us of the consequences of moving away from God and the importance of following his path.
In the Gospel, Jesus gives us a powerful teaching about true obedience. He tells us that not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father who is in heaven. He compares those who hear his words and do them to a wise man who built his house on the rock. When the storm came, the house stood firm, as it was well founded. In contrast, those who hear his words and do not act on them are compared to a foolish man who built his house on the sand. When the storm came, the house collapsed, and its ruin was great.
Let’s explore these readings deeper and see how they apply to our lives.
Joachim’s reign was brief, but his actions had lasting consequences. He followed in his father’s footsteps, doing what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Joaquim’s story reminds us that our choices and actions have consequences. Just as the people of Judah suffered because of the sins of their leaders, we too suffer the consequences of our own choices when we turn away from God.
Jehoiachin was taken captive to Babylon, and the reading describes the sadness and desolation of God’s people. They lost their land, their temple and their freedom. However, even in the midst of destruction and exile, God did not abandon His people. He continued to work in their lives, preparing the way for redemption and restoration. This story teaches us about God’s faithfulness, even when we face the consequences of our sins. He is always ready to welcome us back, to restore us and give us new hope.
In the Gospel, Jesus calls us to true and sincere obedience. It is not enough to just profess our faith with words; It is necessary to live this faith through our actions. Jesus challenges us to build our lives on the solid rock of his Word, listening to and practicing his teachings. He warns us about the dangers of a superficial faith, which crumbles in the face of the storms of life.
To illustrate this point, Jesus uses the image of two houses. The first house, built on the rock, represents those who hear the Word of God and put it into practice. When they face difficulties, their faith remains firm, as it is well founded. The second house, built on the sand, represents those who hear the Word but do not practice it. When difficulties come, your faith crumbles, as it lacks a solid foundation.
Let’s reflect on how we are building our lives. Are we building on the rock of God’s Word, or on the sand of the world’s empty promises? Are we listening to and practicing the teachings of Jesus, or are we settling for superficial faith?
To build our lives on the rock, we need to dedicate time to reading and meditating on God’s Word. We need to allow his teachings to shape our daily attitudes and actions. We need to seek to live according to God’s will, even when this requires sacrifice and renunciation.
Let’s think of a builder who wants to build a lasting building. He doesn’t start by laying bricks on the sand. Instead, he digs deep, looking for a firm foundation so the building can withstand winds and storms. So too, we must dig deep into our faith, seeking truth in Scripture, prayer, and the sacraments. We must allow these practices to form the basis of our spiritual lives.
Joachim’s story and Jesus’ teaching challenge us to reevaluate our lives and make the necessary changes to align our actions with our faith. Perhaps there are areas in our lives where we have built on sand – areas where we have allowed materialism, selfishness, or indifference to take the place of God’s Word. It is time to recognize these areas and begin to rebuild on the rock.
Let’s also reflect on how we can help others build their lives on the rock. As members of the Christian community, we are called to support one another in faith. We can do this through prayer, counseling, life example and service. We can be light for those who are looking for a solid foundation for their lives.
As we move forward on the journey of faith, we will face storms – challenges, temptations, suffering. But if we are firmly grounded in God’s Word, we can be sure that we will stand firm. God’s faithfulness will sustain us, just as it sustained the people of Judah during their exile.
Lord, we thank You for Your Word that guides and strengthens us. Help us to build our lives on the solid foundation of Your teachings. Give us the grace to hear and practice Your Word, so that we can stand firm in the face of the storms of life. May we be light and salt to the world, helping others find the path to true life in You. Amen.
My brothers and sisters, as we leave here today, let us take with us the commitment to live a true faith, based on the Word of God. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ accompany us and strengthen us. Remember, we are called to be wise builders – let us build our lives on the solid rock of Christ’s love and teachings. Amen.
