Sand People

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. (Matthew 7:21-29)

Are we really doing the will of our Father in heaven?  Many of us do say, “Lord, Lord,” but we really never knew him.  So, we must depart says Jesus.  In fact, we never arrived, or perhaps we were the ones who departed.  Exited, stage right, and out the door we went.  We weren’t evildoers.  We were simply confused, uncertain, and disappointed with our Church especially with the very poor and inexcusable handling of priests who sexually abused minors over many years.

At times it seems the Church is built on sand.   The Church is buffeted by blowing winds; it’s raining and the water is rising.  Especially relevant is this Jesus’ warning: “…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…”  Whether the Church or each and everyone of us, we must realize sand is for sandboxes and children.  A soft and unstable base is a recipe for disaster created by fools.

Fortunately, we sand people have a remedy called faith, hope, and accountability. We have a Pope called Francis.  He’s a good wind that still buffets the house in need of repair and rejuvenation.  However, the rocks in the Vatican tend to be unmovable and patiently wait.

Sand is used to make concrete, along with gravel, cement, and water.   Let’s use Jesus’s teaching to mix it up with rising waters to recreate a foundation on which we can really stand.  There is enough sand to support all our houses provided we build them properly.

Deacon David Pierce