Nov 29.pub

Isaiah 26:1-6

Psalm 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27A

Isaiah 55:6

Matthew 7:21, 24-27

Summary

Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a parable on building the spiritual founda-

tion of our families upon the rock that is Christ.

Reflection

There is no question that parenting has its joys and challenges. From the terrible twos to

the teen years (and beyond), as parents, we will experience the ups and downs of being a

parent. However, as Catholic Christian parents, we faithfully cherish those moments and

prayerfully seek God’s guidance in moments of tribulation. Today’s readings provide us

an opportunity to genuinely reflect and discern about the spiritual foundation we are

providing our children.

The Book of Isaiah pronounces a song of holy joy and praise regarding God’s blessings. It

is a song of strength, hope and refuge in God. Isaiah proclaims, “Trust in the LORD for-

ever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock.” Isaiah makes it clear that for us to receive God’s

peace and protection, we must not only trust God forever, we must make God our eter-

nal rock, our family’s spiritual foundation. In doing so, as a family, we joyfully sing with

the Psalmist, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD…`The LORD is God,

and he has given us light.” When we place God at the center of our family’s foundation,

God provides the light of wisdom to help us raise a faithful and spiritually-filled family.

Lastly, Matthew’s Gospel provides the parenting blueprint to build a Christ-centered do-

mestic church. The Sermon of the Mount is a profound and beautiful testament of Christ

as our eternal rock, our spiritual foundation. The Sermon begins with the spiritually-filled

Beatitudes and concludes with the pivotal parable of the wise and foolish builders. As par-

ents, the Sermon on the Mount challenges us to deeply reflect on the spiritual foundation

we are laying and providing our children. Specifically, the Parable of the Builders makes it

clear to Christian parents the consequences on the type of spiritual foundation we choose

to build upon. That is, a foundation built upon an

eternal rock (Christ-centered) that will withstand life’s

winds, rains, and floods; or a foundation built upon

sand (Ego-centered) that will collapse amid life’s trib-

ulations. Given that a child’s learning begins as early

as in the womb and continues during the critical years

of early childhood and late adolescence, it is impera-