Hearers or Doers: Where do I belong?

Thursday 27^th June, 2019. Genesis 16:1-12.15-16, Psalm 106 and Matthew 7:12-29)_

_*“Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)*_

Our first reading this morning contains a very sad story. Yesterday, we read about how God promised Abram again that his descendants would be as many as the stars and we are told that Abram believed it and it was counted to him as righteousness. Today, Sarai ran out of patience, she took her Egyptian maid, Hagar to Abram but instead of Abram to reject the offer, he accepted it assuming this was God’s way of fulfilling His Promise.

This is the story of many of us today. We may be waiting patiently for God only for satan to trick us into thinking we can attain God’s promise by taking certain short cuts in life. So we end up making costly mistakes in life thinking God’s hand is with us.

Sarai would later live to regret this decision because as soon as Hagar became pregnant, she lost respect for Sarai. Of course, Hagar wanted to be treated as Abram’s wife, no longer as Sarai’s maid. (You know the saying that when you give someone a foot, they take a mile). Hagar became a thorn in Sarai’s flesh and they had it so hot that Hagar had to flee from the house. Thanks to the kind advice of the Angel who told her to go back and be submissive to Sarai, Hagar would have died in the wilderness.

When we hear God’s word and decide to take a short cut instead, we always live to regret it. In our Gospel passage today, Jesus says when we listen to the word of God and fail to put it into practice, we are merely deceiving ourselves. Holiness is not a matter of attending Church and paying attention to the message only. Holiness is a matter of doing what the Word of God says. Abram heard the word but he did something else. He committed the sin of adultery with Sarai’s consent.

Some Christians are saints in Church but demons at home. Jesus says such persons do not deserve a space in God’s kingdom. “On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.” (Mathew 7:22-23).

There are hearers and there are doers. Where do I belong? If my life does not correspond to the homilies I hear every day or if my life is different from what I preach every day, I am just a candidate for hellfire. Religiosity without genuine spirituality (practical goodness) is useless.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, give me the grace to practice what I profess. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Thursday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Genesis 16:1-12.15-16, Psalm 106 and Matthew 7:12-29).