Posted by The WORD in other words (2006) by Fr Fred Mislang – Divine Word Seminary of Tagaytay
A Peanuts cartoon shows Linus building sand castles on a beach. Soon a whole city of castles covers the beach. Then a violent rainstorm breaks from the sky and washes the entire city of castles away. Linus looks on in total disbelief.
This recalls to us the recent Asian tsunami experience wherein we saw whole towns and villages devastatingly blown and washed away like a deck of cards. People all over the world looked in total disbelief. The destruction was just mind-boggling. We also saw a few sturdy buildings or structures still standing but devoid of all life.
Listening to God’s word without putting it into practice is as useless as those buildings and houses that were flattened by the big waves.
“Not all who say, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7,21) It is not enough to profess that we believe and do not put into practice what our Lord tells us to do. As St. James will tell us, “Faith without works, is dead.” Faith, in order to be alive, should be backed up with good works for our brothers and sisters, especially those who are poor and needy.
Our community is not built by wishful thinking, much less senseless talking. Neither is it achieved by dreaming or longing for a place of friendships and unity, nor by prayer merely. It is built on deeds, no less.
It comes about when people really care for and serve one another, understanding and forgiving one another and, above all, loving one another. Jesus said, “Love one another as I have loved you. In this way, people will know that you are My disciples.”
Do we put into practice the Word of God that we read or hear in the Holy Mass or in our Bible reading and sharing? Which part of God’s Word do we find most difficult to put into practice?
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