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A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 7:21, 24-27)

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."

Jesus compares the lives of those who are obedient to the Father with those who are not. Obedience to the Father's will is made up of listening and doing. When storms come in full force—winds, rain, floods—the house built on rock will not collapse. When the same happens to a house built on sand, Jesus says, "it collapsed and was completely ruined." Hearing and responding to God's will is the foundation for the house built on rock. Isaiah tells us more about keeping faith and remaining in the Lord: "Trust in the LORD forever! For the LORD is an eternal Rock."

God, help me trust now and forever in you, the eternal rock. When storms come, help me listen to the words of your Son and act on them as I do your will. In doing your will, I work toward entering the eternal kingdom of heaven even as I enter it in the present moment. Keep me attentive to your will and not self-absorbed even as I call out, "Lord, Lord." Your will, not mine. To listen for your voice in silence is worth more than many anguished petitions although I know you hear every one of my prayers. Help me today, Lord, have childlike trust in discerning and acting on your will.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.