Reading 1
Is 26:1-6
On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:
“A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.
Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just,
one that keeps faith.
A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;
in peace, for its trust in you.”
Trust in the LORD forever!
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.
Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a
Responsorial PsalmR. (26a)
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Open to me the gates of justice;
I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.
This gate is the LORD’s;
the just shall enter it.
I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me
and have been my savior.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
O LORD, grant salvation!
O LORD, grant prosperity!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;
we bless you from the house of the LORD.
The LORD is God, and he has given us light.
R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Mt 7:21, 24-27
Gospel
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.
“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them
will be like a wise man who built his house on rock.
The rain fell, the floods came,
and the winds blew and buffeted the house.
But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock.
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.”
Meditation: Isaiah 26:1-6
“Open up the gates to let in a nation that is just.” (Isaiah 26:2)
What a picture of the kingdom of God Isaiah paints! He describes it as “a strong city” with “walls and ramparts” to protect its people from foreign incursions. He also calls the kingdom to open its gates. But how can a city be protected when its gates are wide open to the outside world? Isn’t that risking too much?
In fact, a healthy city needs both walls and gates. It needs to be protected from the enemies who threaten its way of life. But it also needs gates to let in the supplies that sustain it and the novel ideas that help it to grow. No city can survive in a vacuum and, in a sense, neither can the kingdom of God!
When it comes to the church, history has shown the perils of emphasizing the gate over the walls—and the walls over the gate. By focusing too much on the walls, we risk turning our parishes into enclaves that exist solely to preserve our values and lifestyle. But this only makes our lives stagnant for us and unattractive to others. By contrast, if we focus too much on the gate, if we place too much emphasis on openness, we can become so eager to assimilate new ideas and people that we lose sight of our unique identity and mission as a church.
So how can we find balance as a church? By asking Jesus to be our wall and our gate instead of trying to take on these roles ourselves. With Jesus as our gate, we learn to welcome every individual as his beloved, as someone he has sent for us to love and to learn from. We learn also to look upon every interaction with the broader world as another opportunity to build the kingdom. And by letting Jesus protect us—by his teaching, through his church, and by his Spirit—we avoid the risk of becoming judge, jury, and executioner against every perceived threat. Remember: The church belongs to Jesus. He is more than capable of defending it in his own wisdom and timing.
May we all learn the peace and security of placing ourselves and the kingdom into Jesus’ strong yet gentle hands.
“Jesus, I entrust my life and the church to you. Come and make us into a strong and vibrant city of light.”
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