The Two Foundations

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?

47

* I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them.

48

That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built.

49

But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed. (DONT READ THIS FOR ROSARY: Please take advantage of the place to write down things during each point. It could be something from the text, or what is shared with you or maybe an inspiration that comes to mind. That way in the quiet moments you can chew on that. Having said that let’s jump into our meditation!)

one

I would like to begin our rosary meditation reflecting on this passage from Luke 6, 46-49. No doubt we have heard it or meditated on it many a time. Once in awhile, for some reason, God allows His words to resonate in us in a whole new way. That is what happened to me one day, out of the blue, as I read these words. Obviously God really wanted to say something to me. I think I got His message. As we go forward in our rosary reflection today I want to unpack that message for you. Suffice to say, I have dubbed this passage from Luke, “a meditation on meditation.” Or even more importantly, here Jesus Himself is teaching us how to meditate!

two

After reading this text I don’t know about you but right off the bat, again, stopping dead in my spiritual tracks, I asked myself, “Why do I say to you, Jesus, “Lord, Lord, but not do what you want?” What is the hold up? What gets in the way of my not doing your will both in big and small things, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month after month year after year? What gives? Granted I am in good company. Even St Paul complained about that fact with regards to himself, “The good I want to do I don’t; the evil I don’t want to do I do.” As I pray this next decade I want to talk frankly with Jesus, asking Him to enlighten me, help me to see what could be the main obstacle or obstacles in doing His will. Why do I say, “Lord, Lord, but not do what You want?”

three

Focusing on that question, “ Why do you call me, Lord, Lord, but not do what I command.”, I am sure in your reflection you may have already come up with a few reasons why that happens in your life. I however would like to focus on an extremely important reason. We don’t do what He commands because we are lazy. We are lazy particularly about doing our daily meditation. If we do do it we often times do it haphazardly or, even worse, we don’t do it at all! Well, folks, today is our lucky day! Jesus Himself is teaching us how to meditate in this Gospel passage! We hit the jackpot!! Pay attention to His words here: “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them.”who comes to Me. those words tell me that a person is praying. But not just praying, the person is also meditating = “, who listens to my words”. This person while reading God’s word is attempting to listen with an open and docile heart. After listening and reflecting in this way, a conversation ensues. As a consequence of this loving dialogue, because love is shown in deeds, we come up with our resolution. Or as our Lord teaches us in this passage, “listens to my words, and acts on them.” And acts on them. See! Even Jesus is very practical!! How are you going to act on my words after you have meditated on them? Are they going to remain empty words, lofty words or rather are they going to be words that penetrate into your life and become your life. Remember a saying I think I might have shared with you some time ago? On a billboard in front of a Protestant church I saw these words, “ For some people the only Bible they will ever read will be your life.” Can people say that about our life? Again, what is the hold up? Let’s take this time of our 10 Hail Marys to ask our Lord: “Could it be that I am not faithful to my daily date with you, Jesus? Or when I do show up, am I really listening to Your words and acting on them? , “Speak, Lord, your servant is listening . . .

four

“But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.” Our beloved Jesus is very clear here. He cuts to the chase: He describes the behavior of a person who doesn’t pray. What are the consequences of a life without prayer? The house is COmPLETELY destroyed!!! Could Jesus be more clear? Here the person telling us this is not just any wise, holy, saintly person. It is God Himself. We can have no doubts about what will happen to us or anyone else who has little or no transforming prayer in their lives. Jesus doesn’t say that there will be problems, or even big problems in the life of a prayer-less person. No, He says that their lives will be completely ruined! Now do we see how essential and necessary prayer is for our lives?

five

Lets hear again what Jesus says, “but the one one who listens (notice that this second person in comparison to the first person mentioned in verse 47, doesn’t come to Him. you realize that this person isn’t praying because He isn’t going to Jesus.😔. How sad! Not only. But strangely Jesus adds that this person is listening but He doesn’t specify to whom or to what. 😙. Obviously he or she is not listening to our Lord. For all we know he could be listening to the world, the devil, his or her own ideas and thoughts, other people, but God isn’t mentioned. God isn’t in the picture. If you aren’t listening to Him you are definitely listening to someone or someone else. The Jesus adds. he “. . . does not act.” Uh oh! No resolution!!!! Mortal sin! Just kidding. Kind of. As Fr Jordan Aumann says in his book, Spiritual Theology, “. . . Those who aspire to sanctity by giving themselves completely to the active life while neglecting the life of prayer (he is talking particularly about meditation in this part of his book), may just as well forget about Christian perfection. Experience proves that there is absolutely nothing that can supply for the life of prayer, get this!!!, not even the daily reception of the Eucharist. There are many persons who receive communion every day, yet their spiritual life is mediocre and lukewarm. (I think it was St Alphonsos who went a little further. He actually said there are persons who receive Jesus frequently but continue on in mortal sin. This, st Alphonsos continues, would not happen if they meditated every day. With time they will either leave mortal sin or daily meditation!) Fr Jordan concludes by emphasizing, “The reason (that their spiritual lives are tepid.) is none other than the lack of mental prayer, either because they omit it entirely or they practice it in a mechanical and routine fashion.” Jesus Himself is pretty straightforward when he speaks of someone who doesn’t pray/meditate: This man or woman is “ like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.” Chilling words of our Lord. Maybe we all need “a go to Jesus moment” about how we meditate or even, worse, how we don’t meditate! Let’s take this last decade of the rosary to do just that. In our conversation let’s be upfront with Jesus, honest and humble. Maybe our resolution after our frank conversation with our Blessed Lord, could be to turn to Him often during the day, today. As we do that let us ask Him to help us to be faithful to meditating, aka, “coming to Him, listening to His words, and acting on them.” Lord, in these last few minutes of prayer, help me to know and understand where I am at as far as meditation is concerned and, with Your help and your light decide firmly to prayerfully, read, reflect and resolve better!