Daily Catholic Lectio
Thu, 26 June 2025
Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time – Thursday
Genesis 16:1-12, 15-16. Matthew 7:21-29
Superiority of Actions
“The house did not fall, for it had been founded on rock.” (Matthew 7:25)
Like many rabbis of His time, Jesus ends His Sermon on the Mount with a question—a question of discernment and decision. The rabbinic style of teaching usually concluded with a self-reflective question, calling the listener to respond by choosing a path. So too, at the end of this sermon, Jesus places a question before His disciples: On what kind of foundation are you building your house? On rock or on sand? Their answer becomes a declaration of their discipleship. Their choice becomes the blueprint for their life.
Words do not define discipleship; actions do. Faith is not merely a verbal confession, but a lived commitment. Words are weightless—they are easily spoken, quickly forgotten. But actions require effort, endurance, and sincerity. Actions have real impact—on our lives and on the lives of others. They shape who we are and what legacy we leave.
Today’s Gospel can also be seen through the lens of patience. Building a house on rock demands time, care, and perseverance. It is not a quick fix. It is a steady work of trust.
In the first reading (Genesis 16:6–12, 15–16), we witness Abraham’s impatience. Though God had promised him a child, Abraham—yesterday—was ready to adopt Eliezer, the son of his servant. Today, he agrees to Sarai’s suggestion and takes Hagar, their servant woman, to bear a child. Abraham, though the father of faith, also reveals the fragility of human impatience.
St. Paul reminds us: “Love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4). True faith waits. It trusts God’s timing. As Pope Francis notes, patience is a fruit of knowing the power and mystery of grace (Evangelii Gaudium, 24).
But today, we live in a world of instant answers. We fast-forward two-minute videos. We get frustrated if WiFi is slow or if charging takes longer than expected. We are wired for speed, but our spirits are drained in the process. In such a hurried life, patience becomes a forgotten grace.
Abraham chose to build on sand—Hagar. It seemed like a quick and easy fix. But God was quietly preparing a house for him on the rock—Sarah. Sand is easy to build on but offers no stability. Rock demands more, but it lasts.
Impatience brings problems— in our relationships, in our driving, in our workplaces, in our spiritual life. Had we been a little more patient, we might have avoided many of them.
So today, Jesus invites us to slow down, to build with care, to found our lives not on shifting emotions or passing solutions, but on the solid rock of His Word—and to do so with the enduring strength of patient love.
A little more patience today can bring great peace.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
Leave a comment