Rt. Rev. Timothy Ravinder, C S I Bishop in Coimbatore.

TRUE BUILDER:
Acting upon the Word of God

Equipping the People of God:(6th Sunday after Pentecost)

 A brief reflection on Matt 7: 24-29

 

The parable of the builders comes at the end of the greatest sermon ever preached by the greatest preacher ever - Jesus. These Parables help us to understand with clarity, the theology behind Jesus words. Therefore we have the Parable of the Builders, for today's meditation.

 

MERETRICIOUS... never a builder:

We listen to Christian radio programmes, watch Christian TV, and listen to the sermon every Sunday. That is wonderful. We feel happy and satisfied about the sermon. We appreciate the preacher. All that is fine! But, nothing changes. Rivalry continues. Hatred increases. Relationships are cut-off and there is more unrest and untold suffering, discrimination's prevail, war continues and the earth is plundered: All what we listen, hear and read is information and knowledge and this is not just enough. This is not the problem. It is the place where we start makes the difference. We have to move on - to ACT UPON what we have heard and respond to what we have read… in our actions - in our doings. Then we experience a divine response.

 

PRODIGIOUS... tremendous possibilities:

Wisdom is our decision to apply truths to life’s realities. Anybody is unable or refuses to do this would be a fool. So, we have wise and the foolish builder. Both had the same dream: both had probably attended church and heard the sermon. But here was a major difference. The place where each one of them started; Of the two builders, one ‘heard’ and ‘acted’ upon wisely. He built his house on rock. It takes time to drill deep to build on the rock, it costs a lot more to build on rock and it requires hard work. On the contrary to build a house on sand is easier and quicker. No drilling, it is faster and costs less. But the house that is built on the rock stood against stormy winds and rain.

 

CAUTIOUS... act now:

We have to start at the right place and start with Jesus. Divine response is felt after we act upon the Word of God… it does not stop with just hearing. We act and God responds: We do not start the house with the windows. We start with the foundation. Let us take a motion sensor for example. There is power and there is a light… but only when there is movement, does the light burns, and when there is no movement, the light switches off. Every time when we see God moving in the scriptures on every instance He tells the people what they must do first, before God does anything. “Moses, hold out your rod” and now the sea opens to make way; “Joshua, tell your priests to put their foot in Jordan” - the water is blocked; “Mary, move the stone”, then, Lazarus is brought forth. God programmes his word not to work until movement is detected.

 

We know what Jesus has told us to do: to listen carefully to his words and to obey his commandments. “To love everybody and hate nobody.” To give: meaningfully - to those who are vulnerable and are in dire need, especially through the pandemic from COVID-19 at hand: Only when we act, will God intervene and provide his divine presence. We build the Kingdom of God - God being our Helper. AMEN

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rt. Rev. Timothy Ravinder, Bishop in Coimbatore.

Rt. Rev. Timothy Ravinder, C S I Bishop in Coimbatore.