Gospel in Art: The wise man built his house on a rock

Drina House, House built on the Drina river in Serbia, Built in 1968 © Alamy

Gospel of 7 December 2023
Matthew 7:21,24-27

Jesus said to his disciples: 'It is not those who say to me, "Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!'

Reflection on the river house

The photograph shows a house in Serbia which was built back in 1968 by a group of boys who wanted a spot to sunbathe while at the river. They constructed the house from wooden boards reclaimed from a nearby shed that had been destroyed. They used kayaks to get the material onto the rock, which stands in the middle of a fast flowing river. The house has a small room. While several severe storms and floods have wreaked havoc on and around the house over the last 50 years, the home has always stood firm and has never been destroyed… Because it was built on a rock!

The 'house' Jesus talks about in our Gospel today is our life. Nobody else can build our life for us: it is something we have to do ourselves (like the boys who made the river house). However, we must choose carefully what foundations we give to our house/life. Do we merely follow secular shifting trends and sands; or do we build on solid rock, on Christ's teachings?

Entrusting ourselves to Jesus, listening to his word and trying to live his word, will provide a foundation for our lives that will enable us to withstand the great storms of life. As we all know, we need some solid ground under us as we go through life. Jesus presents himself as that solid ground.

Our Gospel reading today also makes another important point. Jesus refers to listening, speaking and doing. Jesus mentions those who 'listen to these words of mine', to those who say aloud, 'Lord, Lord', and to those who act on his words. When it comes to our faith, listening and speaking are important, but Jesus declares that listening and speaking on their own, without doing, have little or no value. Advent is a season when we are called in a special way to live all three: listen, speak and act.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-7-21-24-27-2023/