Reflection for December 4
Owen, age 2
Meteora, in northwestern Greece, is a breathtaking landscape of giant rock pillars. In the 14th and 15th centuries, several Orthodox monasteries were built there, each perched atop one of these pinnacles. Six monastic communities are still active today—houses of faith literally set on rock.
These are unsettling times. Reading the news, I’m stressed and anxious. What once felt like reliable, solid ground now feels like unstable, shifting soil. I want bedrock.
Today’s readings remind us that we can find bedrock if we choose wisely and act accordingly. Isaiah tells us that God is trustworthy, an eternal Rock. The Psalmist exhorts us to seek refuge in God, rather than in mortals. And in the parable of the wise and foolish builders, Jesus encourages each of us to consider this question: what kind of ground is my “house” built on, rock or sand?
It is easy to build on sand without realizing it. As Fr. James Martin, S.J. has written: “Our culture encourages us to build our psychic homes on the wrong kinds of ground. Our foundations are sometimes status, money, and power.” Or consumerism, or even anxiety, to name others.
Jesus tells us that it is not enough for us to listen to His words and or even to profess belief that He is Lord. In any relationship, actions matter. Jesus says that our spiritual house is built securely only if we act on what we profess and do the will of the Father.
This Advent, may we attend to our relationship with Jesus. May we listen with the ear of our heart to discern God’s will for us. And with His grace, may we put our faith into concrete acts of love and service toward our neighbors. Then, like the monasteries of Meteora, our houses will be set solidly on rock, and we will have no need to fear any storms that come.
Julie Magri