To the Ends of the Earth: Action – Week 7, Day 1 – Jesus Brings Not Peace, But a Sword
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“Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it.”
Matthew 7:24–27
Family tension is an ever-present reality in this fallen world. The only real solution to the conflicts that arise between parents and children is Jesus Christ. Without Jesus as the foundation of our lives, our faith, and our families, we will ultimately fail in our task as parents.
As the Gospel reminds us, it is the foundation of the house that will determine whether it will last. Building materials, architectural styles, and everything else are secondary to that key component. In the same way, modern psychology, spiritual enlightenment, and manly principles cannot hold the structure of a family together if the base of the house has been set on shaky ground. As men, if we fail to provide that sturdy Gospel foundation through the witness of our lives, our families will suffer and our children may not be able to withstand the storms of life. Only as our lives are grounded in Christ can we build our families and our Church on a rock-solid faith that will endure into eternity.
Questions for reflection
How have modern, man-made parenting tools proved to be a poor witness of Gospel values to your children?
What does building on the foundation of Christ look like for a modern Catholic father? How are you following Christ’s call to share his message of hope with future generations?
Are there specific things you need to change in order to build your home on the rock of Christ?
Praying with Scripture
Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. (Ps 127:1)
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Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
