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Gospel Reading for June 25, 2026 – Matthew 7: 21-29
DICHOTOMIZE
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. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’
“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.”
When Jesus finished these words, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
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If the practice of our faith remains limited to religious observances and rituals and does not extend to living out the teachings of Jesus—especially those found in Matthew 25: 31–46 concerning the Last Judgment—then we have reason to examine our discipleship seriously. Our faith is meant to be more than external acts of worship; it is meant to transform the way we live and relate to others.
Christianity is not complicated. At its heart, it is founded on a single principle: LOVE—love of God and love of neighbor. This does not mean that the Eucharistic Celebration and other religious practices are unimportant. On the contrary, they are essential because they nourish, strengthen, and deepen our relationship with God. However, the life we live outside the church must reflect what we celebrate within it. Our actions, attitudes, and choices should bear witness to the faith we profess. Otherwise, we must ask ourselves: What exactly are we celebrating?
How important it is, therefore, not to DICHOTOMIZE our faith—to avoid separating what we do in church from the way we live our daily lives. Authentic Christian living requires consistency between worship and action, between prayer and charity, between faith and life.
Lord Jesus, help us to be faithful and consistent in our discipleship. May the faith we profess with our lips be reflected in the lives we live each day, so that others may see your love at work in us.
