Hence the Lord Says in the Gospel
The Lord's sermon emphasizes the importance of listening to and acting upon His words, and the consequences of not doing so, while also highlighting His patience and mercy as an invitation to repent and convert.
St. Benedict of Nursia emphasizes the importance of not only listening to the words of the Lord but also acting upon them, comparing it to building a house on a strong foundation. He highlights that God patiently waits for us to respond to His teachings through our actions, granting us time in this life to repent and amend our ways. The preacher stresses the mercy of the Lord, who desires the conversion and life of sinners rather than their death.
Text
Hence the Lord says in the Gospel,
"Whoever listens to these words of Mine and acts upon them,
I will liken to a wise person
who built a house on rock.
The floods came,
the winds blew and beat against that house,
and it did not fall,
because it had been founded on rock" (Matt. 7:24-25).
Having given us these assurances,
the Lord is waiting every day
for us to respond by our deeds to His holy admonitions.
And the days of this life are lengthened
and a truce granted us for this very reason,
that we may amend our evil ways.
As the Apostle says,
"Do you not know that God's patience is inviting you to repent" (Rom. 2:4)?
For the merciful Lord tells us,
"I desire not the death of the sinner,
but that the sinner should be converted and live" (Ezech. 33:11).
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Listening and Acting
- The Lord's Patience and Mercy
- God's Patience as an Invitation to Repent
- The Desire for the Sinner to Convert and Live
Key Quotes
“I will liken to a wise person who built a house on rock.” — St. Benedict of Nursia
“Do you not know that God's patience is inviting you to repent” — St. Benedict of Nursia
“I desire not the death of the sinner, but that the sinner should be converted and live” — St. Benedict of Nursia
Application Points
- We must listen to and act upon God's words to build a strong foundation of faith and obedience.
- God's patience is an invitation to repent and change our ways, and we should take advantage of this opportunity.
- We should strive to amend our evil ways and live a life pleasing to God.