Solid Living
Memorial of Saint Ambrose, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
My dear encountered couples:
Offering Mass, receiving the sacraments, prayers from the heart, meditating on the scriptures, reading many uplifting writings - all these I consider extremely important. The person without them might be missing the meat and potatoes that give the growth to our spirituality. All these, though, should fill us with God’s love for people and move us to do his will in the world. We should become pushed forth to carry out the words of Jesus during each and every day. The Holy Spirit should be able to find us open to his advice and enthusiasm to do God our Father’s work.
The person who only offers Mass, receives the sacraments, prays and reads good things a lot, but does not become pushed forth to love his or her neighbors in act, is like the people Jesus is talking about. They are merely crying out “Lord, Lord” or “Amen, brother” while not really giving a hoot about doing God’s will and spreading his love. They are only fooling themselves.
On the other hand, there are those who try to do religious works but don’t pray, don’t seek the nourishment of the sacraments. They try to do God’s work without God. They build their houses on sandy ground. Their works have no really good lasting effects.
Both are necessary - praying and doing. Only then are you wise, established on solid ground, and a true follower of Christ.
