“My Words are Rock on Which to Build your Eternal Life” by Beth DeCristofaro
For the LORD is an eternal Rock. He humbles those in high places, and the lofty city he brings down; He tumbles it to the ground, levels it with the dust. It is trampled underfoot by the needy, by the footsteps of the poor. (Isaiah 26:4-6)
Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven … And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined (Matthew 7:26-27)
Piety
In this season of Advent, Lord, help me to inspect the foundations of my faith in you and the priorities of my life. May they be one in the same. May I each day act as if my life is grounded in the words: ”Lord, Lord.”
Study
In the movie “Footloose,” John Lithgow played a fire and brimstone preacher who rigidly adhered to the letter of Scriptural law – as he read it – with a staunch dedication to propriety in the name of his Savior. He elegantly portrayed a man who was deeply committed to a personal faith in Jesus and who believed completely that his house, thus his church and congregation, was built on the rock of that faith. When a new kid, Wren, arrives and challenges the worldview of the preacher and the town, Lithgow’s character has an epiphany. He realizes that after the tragic death of his son, he had in fact substituted faith in God for a house built on the sand of fear and paranoia.
I admire Lithgow’s intense personal take on this character who said “Lord, Lord” each day of his life but lost his way of following God’s will. His intentions were good as he tried to keep young people safe but he did so by controlling others rather than trusting in God’s providence even as he continued to preach. How often I find myself also acting as if it is my way rather than the will of God who gave me life.
By contrast, St. Ambrose was solidly anchored in the rock that is God. In his bio on www.catholic.org, it notes that Ambrose was widely recognized for his knowledge, his charity, and his theology. Upon the death of the bishop, many requested Ambrose to take the staff of office. “However, being neither baptized or trained in theology, Ambrose refused to become the next bishop. He ran and attempted to hide, but his colleague gave him up. Within a week's time, Ambrose was baptized, ordained and duly consecrated bishop of Milan on December 7, 374. As bishop, he donated all of his lands and gave his money to the poor. This made him widely popular and often times more politically powerful than even the emperor.”[i] Not only does this piece of information make me smile, it reminds me again that God works in mysterious ways. And God gifts those called.
Action
In Isaiah, the prophet states that the lofty city will be tumbled, leveled, and trampled by the feet of the poor. Jesus spent the most time and answered the cries most often of the humblest and lowliest. In what area of our lives do we find it hardest to accept God’s will? In what way do we make ourselves lofty? Spend time with Jesus asking for clarity in this Advent journey and for forgiveness. Don’t make God have to send out a posse to find us.
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