(Audio)
Only by the Holy Spirit can we say, "Jesus is Lord" (see First Corinthians 12:1). Without the Spirit we can speak the words but they will be empty of meaning. They will lack transformational and salvific power they are supposed to have. Paul tells us that "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (see Romans 10:9). But this is when we say his name in the power of the Holy Spirit, when we rely on his gift working in us. Saying 'Lord, Lord,' is not enough. Prophesy and mighty deeds using his name is not enough. Social action and charity using his name is not enough. We can't just stamp the name of Jesus on the top of our own initiatives and assume this is the same thing as knowing him.
‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’
In order to ensure our actions are worthy of his name we must begin from his words, his own self-revelation.
Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
Building on the words of Jesus is different from building on any other words. The words of Jesus are Spirit in life (see John 6:63). They are living and effective (see Hebrews 4:12). Deciding to agree with his words, to surrender them, is not equivalent to merely deciding to do what he tells us. Truly accepting and welcoming his words effects an inner transformation as we ourselves are reordered from the inside out. We tend to try to effect the change from the outside in, by applying our own strength in our attempts at obedience. Jesus wants instead to give us in his Word new raw materials from which obedience can be built.
When we build our house on his words the result of a house worthy of his name, a place he himself (since he is the Word) helps to build, a place, finally, where he can dwell.
The authority of the words of Jesus, which astonished the crowds, remains in his Word today. By building on it we have that authority as the foundation of our lives. Our own actions are meant, more and more, to be marked by that authority. Yesterday we emphasized that we are made prophets in baptism. Today we look more closely at the fact that we are meant to be kings and queens, to reign in life through Jesus.
you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth (see Revelation 5:10).
No other raw materials are sufficient for our destiny. It isn't a matter of indifference or of slight benefit that we choose the right ones. We have been told the forecast. It isn't as though the weather threatening our house is simply a strong breeze.
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (see Ephesians 6:12).
If we want to avoid the spiritual version of the fate of Jehoiachin we know what we need to do, where and with whom we need to begin. If we don't want our houses blown down and destroyed utterly, if we don't want the sacred treasures of the LORD carried off to foreign lands, and if we don't want to endure spiritual captivity, we must begin with the words that can build us up as living stones against the storm.
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (see First Peter 2:5).
Come Holy Spirit, help us to confess the name of Jesus. Help us to receive all of his words to us so that we can be built into a temple where the presence of God can dwell, where we are safe from all of our enemies.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
Before a song, this recently prophecy of Father Michael Scanlon,
shared by Ralph Martin seemed relevant:
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