First reading Isaiah 26:1-6
Open the gates; let the upright nation come in
That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
to guard us he has set
wall and rampart about us.
Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,
she, the faithful one
whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,
because she trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord for ever,
for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;
he has brought low those who lived high up
in the steep citadel;
he brings it down, brings it down to the ground,
flings it down in the dust:
the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor
trample on it.
Responsorial Psalm 117(118):1,8-9,19-21,25-27
Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.
or
Alleluia.
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,
for his love has no end.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in men;
it is better to take refuge in the Lord
than to trust in princes.
Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.
or
Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of holiness:
I will enter and give thanks.
This is the Lord’s own gate
where the just may enter.
I will thank you for you have answered
and you are my saviour.
Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.
or
Alleluia.
O Lord, grant us salvation;
O Lord, grant success.
Blessed in the name of the Lord
is he who comes.
We bless you from the house of the Lord;
the Lord God is our light.
Blessed in the name of the Lord is he who comes.
or
Alleluia.
Gospel Matthew 7:21,24-27
The wise man built his house on a rock
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’
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God is our everlasting rock
The parable of the two builders invites us to examine our own foundation of our lives. Are we building our lives on a weak foundation like the builder who used sand, or on a strong rock like the other builder? We need a strong kind of foundation that will sustain us when we face unforeseen challenges and turbulent times. Jesus offers us Himself to be the reliable foundation and the solid ground of our lives. In the first reading, the prophet Isaiah describes God as the “everlasting Rock.” Let us take comfort in knowing that God is our everlasting rock, and we can place our trust in Him.
How can we make God our solid foundation? Jesus tells us that we need to open ourselves to His word and allow it to guide and shape all that we do and say. As we journey through this Advent season, let us be receptive to God’s word and His presence. In doing so, we allow Him to become our rock, our source of strength, which remains unshaken in life’s storms.
Reflective question:
How can I make God my rock today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
