Readings:
Isaiah 26:1-6
Matthew 7:21, 24-27
Reflection
In Buddhist philosophy, a key concept is the universal impermanence of everything. That everything changes and nothing lasts forever. The Buddhist emphasis this because it means being free from attachments and, ultimately, suffering. To some degree, as Christians, we can adopt this into our faith. Learning to not have worldly possessions and getting not too attached to our worldly status would do wonders for some Christians. However, there is an obvious part to this philosophy that we cannot agree with, and that is that God and the promises of Jesus are permeant and lay the foundation of the world.
Jesus highlights this in today’s gospel readings of the Wise and Foolish Builders parable. The gift Christ brings into our lives as Christians is that we have this eternal rock that will endure forever. For those who do not have Christ, it makes sense to constantly live on the edge, bracing themselves for that storm and sea. Their lives should be known by the chaos and instability.
As Christians, our lives should be marked by the peace Christ gives us in being our rock. We must ask if we are guilty of saying we are Christian but not actually trusting in God. We can use the times of trials as a test to see if we are built on the rock or the sand. If we do, then find ourselves in great despair and ruin after the winds and floods of life come our way. We can use them to see areas where we need to enter into deeper trust with God.
Claire O’Donohue is a current Oxley Passionist Youth Retreat Team member. While also in her final year of university, she is completing her bachelor’s degree with a major in visual art and theology.