Our plans may fail

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today may require some reflection to clarify how they apply to good religious people. The passage from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah describes the strong city of the righteous. This is apocalyptic literature looking to a time in the future when those, as Friar Jude comments, who have chosen to accept the choice to live life in Covenant with God, will know the justice and peace of the steadfast in faith with God. Our assumption that we are among the righteous may need to be analysed as we hear Jesus remind the people in the Gospel from Matthew that not all those who proclaim “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of God. The nature of this kingdom of justice and peace can be imagined through the praise of the psalmist for the steadfast love of God. Our experience of the Love of the Kingdom can be diffused by our love of self. Our intentions to be peaceful, just, kind, compassionate and forgiving may not become action because we rely on our limited will power, ambition, need for recognition to bring about change. Our will power takes charge and we find that we have not surrendered our plan, as the first step, which opens us to seek and accept the will of the Father. Jesus sees our frailty and exhorts us to build our lives on the rock of the steadfast love of God and the mission to live that Love as people who seek and follow the will of God.