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Isaiah 26:1-6
Psalm 118:1 & 8-9, 1-21, 25-27A
Matthew 7:21, 24-27
Summary
While fear, tradition and righteousness are the walls thrown up gen-
eration upon generation to protect humanity, the only foundation
upon which we can reliably build our lives is God’s will, the eternal
rock.
Reflection
In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah addresses a people who live in
fear of attack from a neighboring nation. Self-preservation by build-
ing up city walls appears to be the answer to this deep fear, and
Isaiah invites them to open the gates for justice and peace, certainly
a counterintuitive endeavor. The message is simple: if you trust in
God and build your life and purpose around the Lord, this is the pro-
tection – the rock – that never forsakes. If fear and righteousness
reign, those in high places will surely be humbled.
Similarly the responsorial psalm, while praising God’s goodness, in-
vites us to trust in the Lord rather than humanity and the world’s trap-
pings. In this song, we pray for the ability to open ourselves, fully
humbled, to the justice of the Lord.
Matthew’s gospel goes one step further
in cautioning that prayer and thanksgiving
to the Lord are simply one step in our
journey to build our house upon God’s
will. Have we really built our houses of
faith with the knowledge and trust that we