Build on a Solid Foundation

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to use our reflection on the transformation in our lives to act concretely in support of those who need “thoughts and prayers” that are realized by our action for change.

Cooperate in Care

The Reading from the First Letter to Timothy proclaims the mercy of God.

* [1:15] This saying is trustworthy: this phrase regularly introduces in the Pastorals a basic truth of early Christian faith; cf. 1 Tm 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tm 2:11; Ti 3:8.

* [1:17] King of ages: through Semitic influence, the Greek expression could mean “everlasting king”; it could also mean “king of the universe.” (1 Timothy, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 113 exhorts the congregation to praise God’s name.

* [Psalm 113] A hymn exhorting the congregation to praise God’s name, i.e., the way in which God is present in the world; the name is mentioned three times in Ps 113:1–3. The divine name is especially honored in the Temple (Ps 113:1) but its recognition is not limited by time (Ps 113:2) and space (Ps 113:3), for God is everywhere active (Ps 113:4–5) especially in rescuing the lowly faithful (Ps 113:7–9). (Psalms, PSALM 113 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes The Two Foundations.

* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity.

c. [6:43–45] Mt 7:16–20; 12:33, 35.

d. [6:46] M t 7:21; Rom 2:13; Jas 1:22.

e. [6:47–49] Mt 7:24–27. (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

A Member of Creighton University Community reflects that she likes to have things well prepared, planned in advance, her itinerary carefully charted out, her oil changed and tires rotated, her materials durable and archival. She hates to leave a mess behind or get caught unprepared. She admires striking buildings.

In the end, as I have learned in retreats before, the words of Jesus challenge me not to be more fearful of failure, but to look more carefully to the one who really is doing the building. In the parable, I am not the contractor of my life, I am but one tool, and a pretty simple one at that. My temptation is to see the project of discipleship as a lasting monument to myself, my legacy, the collected archive of my life’s work, what will be created for the admiration of others or left behind to posterity. My prayerful response to the principle and foundation of my life is to seek to accept the gift of life humbly, one day at a time, not as an entitlement or reflection of my personal worth, but in deep gratitude to the God who gives it.

So where does good sense and careful planning lead to excessive reliance on myself? At what point does wisdom and maturity give way to my temptation to foolish vanity? And, perhaps most importantly, when might prudence and conventionally sound judgment need to yield to the risks to which I am called to build the Kingdom of God?

In the words of Ps. 127: “If the Lord does not build the house, those who do build labor in vain.” (Member of Creighton University Community, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Scripture is the field where we build our house,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"In a certain place in the Gospel, the Lord says that the wise hearer of his word ought to be like a man who, wishing to build, digs rather deeply until he comes to bedrock. There without anxiety he establishes what he builds against the onrush of a flood, so that when it comes, rather it may be pushed back by the solidity of the building than that house collapse by the impact. Let us consider the Scripture of God as being a field where we want to build something. Let us not be lazy or content with the surface. Let us dig more deeply until we come to rock: 'Now the rock was Christ' (1 Corinthians 10:4)." (excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 23.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 6:43-49 shares how we can hear the Lord in a way that moves us to act on what we have heard. One powerful way is through the Scriptures. Each morning, read the Mass readings for that day.

Remember, it’s a process of trial and error. It takes time. But with each choice you make to act on Jesus’ words, you are building on a strong foundation. Just like the wise builder!

“Lord, you are my rock. Show me how to build my life on you by acting on your word.” (Meditation on Luke 6:43-49, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Paul repeats that we see the mercy of God in his life and urges us to praise as in the doxology. We need to be grateful for mercy and patience in our life and in our mission as witnesses and apostles. Good comes from people of integrity. Those whose hearts are not in the right place will give us bad messages. We have to change and make God the centre for solid ground in our life. In a crisis some fall away because of a transactional relationship. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus calls us and helps us hold on in the storms of life.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Pastor Dennis Jacobsen who questions why some Christians avoid power, despite Jesus’ teachings about working on behalf of others.

We find that we cannot run away from power once we take the ethical teachings of Jesus seriously. These teachings draw us into a life of compassion and righteousness that seeks justice. On an interpersonal level, perhaps we find no tension. We visit the sick and imprisoned, shelter the homeless, and feed the hungry without conflict. But what happens when we begin to analyze why people are imprisoned, homeless, hungry, and poor in a society of immense wealth? We begin to thirst for justice. This thirst for justice leads us into the public arena. And there we learn rather quickly the truth of Frederick Douglass’s maxim: “Power yields nothing without a struggle. It never has and it never will” [1]….  

Small wonder that many people of faith prefer to turn away from power and the public arena. It feels safer, holier, and more comfortable to operate in the realm of the individual and interpersonal. Everyone speaks well of the Christian who serves soup to the homeless or volunteers at a shelter, unless of course that Christian begins to question why people are homeless. Dom Hélder Câmara said, “When I feed the hungry, they call me a saint. When I ask why people are hungry, they call me a Communist” [2]….  (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the power of the Word to be a foundation for our mission to support the anawim by our action to build the Kingdom of God.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6? 

Meditation on Luke 6:43-49. (n.d.). Word Among Us Homepage. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/09/13/1381955/ 

Member of Creighton University Community. (n.d.). Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-15-2007 

1 Timothy, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1timothy/1?15 

Psalms, PSALM 113 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/113?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). From Domination to Communion: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/from-domination-to-communion-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). A Life Built on a Solid Foundation. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=sep13 

Strength and Joy in Weakness

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider and act in response to the paradox that our witness of joy in our struggles strengthens our relationship with Christ and the people in our environment.

Struggle and Joy

The Reading from the Second Letter to the Corinthians presents Paul’s boast about his Labours and his Weakness.

* [11:16–12:10] Paul now accepts the challenge of his opponents and indulges in boasting similar to theirs, but with differences that he has already signaled in 2 Cor 10:12–18 and that become clearer as he proceeds. He defines the nature of his project and unmistakably labels it as folly at the beginning and the end (2 Cor 11:16–23; 12:11). Yet his boast does not spring from ignorance (2 Cor 11:21; 12:6) nor is it concerned merely with human distinctions (2 Cor 11:18). Paul boasts “in moderation” (2 Cor 10:13, 15) and “in the Lord” (2 Cor 10:17).

* [11:16–29] The first part of Paul’s boast focuses on labors and afflictions, in which authentic service of Christ consists. (2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 34 implores us to trust in God alone.

* [Psalm 34] A thanksgiving in acrostic form, each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this Psalm one letter is missing and two are in reverse order. The psalmist, fresh from the experience of being rescued (Ps 34:5, 7), can teach the “poor,” those who are defenseless, to trust in God alone (Ps 34:4, 12). God will make them powerful (Ps 34:5–11) and give them protection (Ps 34:12–22). (Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents our Treasure in Heaven and The Light of the Body.

* [6:19–34] The remaining material of this chapter is taken almost entirely from Q. It deals principally with worldly possessions, and the controlling thought is summed up in Mt 6:24: the disciple can serve only one master and must choose between God and wealth (mammon). See further the note on Lk 16:9.

* [6:22–23] In this context the parable probably points to the need for the disciple to be enlightened by Jesus’ teaching on the transitory nature of earthly riches. (Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Jay Car­ney comments that part of him wish­es Paul would pipe down, keep a “stiff upper lip,” and stop whin­ing about his tra­vails (or to echo one of my teenage chil­dren, “Paul, stop being so salty”!) How­ev­er, his dis­com­fort risks occlud­ing one of the most impor­tant dimen­sions of Paul’s wit­ness. For although he came out of an hon­or-shame cul­ture, Paul is remark­ably open about shar­ing his vul­ner­a­bil­i­ties. He even argues that these weak­ness­es enable him to receive and reflect Christ’s sav­ing grace – some­thing the “spir­i­tu­al­ly strong” strug­gle with through­out Paul’s letters.

As a mid­dle-class Amer­i­can schol­ar, I admire but do not share Paul’s phys­i­cal and eco­nom­ic depri­va­tions. But like all human beings, I have lim­i­ta­tions, vul­ner­a­bil­i­ties, gaps, and weak­ness­es, some of which I would pre­fer to ignore, down­play, or deny. Like Paul, can I not only admit these, but see Christ’s trans­for­ma­tive grace shin­ing through them? (Carney, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Seeking the right intention,” by Augustine of Hippo, 430-543 A.D.

"We know that all our works are pure and pleasing in the sight of God if they are performed with a single heart. This means that they are performed out of charity and with an intention that is fixed on heaven. For 'love is the fulfillment of the law'(Romans 13:10). Therefore in this passage we ought to understand the eye as the intention with which we perform all our actions. If this intention is pure and upright and directing its gaze where it ought to be directed, then unfailingly all our works are good works, because they are performed in accordance with that intention. And by the expression 'whole body,' Christ designated all those works that he reproves and that he commands us to put to death. For the apostle also designates certain works as our 'members.' 'Therefore,' Paul writes, 'mortify your members which are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, covetousness' (Colossians 3:5), and all other such things." (excerpt from SERMON ON THE MOUNT 2.13.45) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23 asks what are some of these heavenly treasures?

Take our identity as a child of God: The all-powerful eternal Creator invites us to live as his son or daughter for all eternity! … Or ponder God’s amazing gift of forgiveness: In Jesus, God offers pardon for every sin, for all time. No accusations need stand against us… Finally, consider the eternal goodness of human love: In our relationships with our family and friends, we experience a glimpse of the divine love that is the source and completion of all human love.

These are just a few treasures that will last. When we place our hope in them, we are storing up treasures that will keep us focused on Christ here and now—and that will fill us with eternal joy in heaven. And as we treasure the things of eternity, we will find their source, our Father, who made them.

“Lord, help me set my sights on things above and treasure what truly matters.” (Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that 2 Corinthians continues as part of the “angry letter” response to accusations of being an inferior preacher. He shares his suffering and willingness to die to self as an essential quality of a minister. The Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount implores us to store spiritual not material treasures and depend on things that last. Friar Jude notes that the eye is presented as a window into the soul in this very dualistic passage that directs us to follow Christ, the Light of the World, and avoid things that will drag us down in our mind.

Barbara Holmes describes how we can find joy through practice and surrender. She asks how do we foster embodied presence and joy? 

I believe we do it through practice and through meditation. Left to your own devices, the natural state of the human brain is a wandering and critical mind. Meditation helps bring that chaos into a more peaceful state. If it’s difficult, begin with sitting in silence. Let your mind do what it wants before slowly bringing it into the present moment. Use music if it helps. The second thing I would suggest is to awaken to the joy in nature. Purposely pay attention to sunsets and sunrises, to the sounds of nature, and other expressions of joy in the environment. Third, I would suggest that you develop an appreciation for the everyday graces, the sound of children playing, the traffic that won’t let us get home when we want to but allows a pause in our frenetic going. (Holmes, n.d.)

We seek the consolation and guidance of the Spirit to inform our desire to transform our suffering and weakness to testimony to the Love and Providence of God.

References

Carney, J. (2025, June 20). Daily Reflection June 20, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-20-2025 

Holmes, B. (n.d.). Pathways to Joy. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/pathways-to-joy/ 

Matthew, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/6?19 

Meditation on Matthew 6:19-23. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/06/20/1309798/ 

Psalms, PSALM 34 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/34?2 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lay up Treasure in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jun20 

2 Corinthians, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 20, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/11?18