DON’T JUST STAND THERE
Thursday in the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

My dear encountered couples:
Jesus spoke with authority. Many of the people of his time recognized this. What he said was not merely important, but is to be the very basis of all human living. People are to live as God wills. No other way is acceptable nor sensible. That is what Jesus taught.
Those who become Christian are not merely joining a club which meets for an hour once a week, nor even for a half hour daily, so that they can call out “Lord, Lord we love you and thank you.” They are committing themselves to a way of life, a 24 hour a day way of life. As it is said, “When in Rome, do what the Romans do,” it should also be realized, “When following Christ, do what Christ wants you to do.”
Jesus did speak with authority because he was sent by his Father who gave him his authority in all things. When Jesus spoke, he spoke the words his Father gave him to say, not as a robot would, but freely choosing to speak as his Father willed. He told us many times we are to live as he taught because he was speaking the words and teachings of his Father and ours.
So let us all listen to Jesus when he says, “None of those who cry out ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of God but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven...Anyone who hears my words and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on rock.” May we hear, put into practice, and be wise.