Jesus reveals false Christians and evildoers will be destroyed. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by seeking the Gift of the Fear of the Lord so that he fears being separated from God due to sin and by seeking the Gift of Wisdom so he can build his life on the Commandments of God.
Liturgy
12th Week in Ordinary Time – Thursday – Mt 7:21-29
Commentary
In the grand summary of His Gospel in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorts men to produce good works and explains how good works flow from a man’s commitment to build an inner life exclusively on Him and His teachings. Half measures lead to destruction.
Jesus confirms that His Judgment is coming to all souls and that many do not enter the Kingdom of Heaven; shockingly, including even those who outwardly appear to be Christian. Like He judges the false prophets who spread confusion and immorality, Jesus also judges false Christians, who say, “Lord, Lord”, and do pretentious acts of public piety but are far from Jesus in their hearts. He condemns them as evildoers who will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus sees through false words and false works and is the all powerful Judge of each man’s soul.
Rather than following the formulaic or outer acts of piety of the Pharisees or what false prophets promote, Jesus calls men to be completely obedient to His Word. Using The Parable of the Builder, Jesus exhorts men to strive to grow in sainthood (digging a deep foundation) by focusing on His teachings (foundational rock) and to build their lives (house) on Him. Men who lazily fail to strive for sainthood (digging a shallow foundation) and attempt to live their lives (build a house) based on faulty morality, philosophy or religion (sand), will face destruction when the Judgment comes (catastrophic storms). The crowds are in awe of Him because Jesus speaks with Divine Authority; likely, they are also stunned and frightened by Jesus’ assertion that He has the power to judge men’s souls, and that He condemns even seemingly pious men.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Consider, with holy fear and a firm commitment to amendment, what Jesus, the Divine King, says about salvation: Divine Judge, He condemns those who fail to yield the good fruit of good works as evil-doers; Divine Prophet and the perfection of Diligence (a part of Temperance), He offers a compelling and memorable parable to confirm God’s use of Vindication (a part of Justice in which the just are rewarded and the unjust are punished), protecting/saving those who diligently conform their lives to Him (build on rock) and allowing the total destruction (both temporal and eternal) of those who reject Him through laziness, stupidity, or evil (build on sand).
Long for the Fear of the Lord
Realize: While it should be no surprise that God condemns unrepentant sinners who commit grave sins (atheists, murderers, rapists, fornicators, adulterers, sexual perverts, thieves, liars, etc.), be shocked that Jesus condemns even those who falsely pretend to be Christians.
Believe: Reflect upon your Judgment (CCC 678-682, 1021-1022, 1038-1041).
Pray: Holy Spirit, help me to always have a deep visceral fear the fires of Hell and give me the Gift of the Fear of the Lord so I always remember how my many sins can separate me from You and my desperate need for You to save me.
Build your life on the Commandments of Christ
Realize: Modern society’s recent foolish new ideas to pridefully embrace acts which have always been, and will always remain, objectively sinful, is a “house built on sand”; it is a house that will be swept away.
Believe: Reflect upon the Morality of Human Acts (CCC 1749-1761).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Wisdom so You constantly help me more fully recognize my sins and so I can always strive to conform all my thoughts, words, and deeds to the certain “rock” of Your 10 Commandments.