This weekend we begin reading from one of the greatest sections in the entire Bible—The Sermon on the Mount. We will read from the Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5, 6 and 7 of the Gospel of Matthew) for a few weeks and then, beginning on Feb. 26, we will shift into the readings for Lent.
If you are looking for one section of Scripture that lays out most clearly how a Christian is to live, it is the Sermon on the Mount. The sermon begins with the Beatitudes (we read them this week) and will move on to examine how the Christian views the Law, how we are to pray, to deal with conflict with others, our attitude towards wealth and possessions.
Jesus concludes the sermon with the Parable of the Two Foundations. He speaks of those who built their houses on rock (on His words) and those who build on sand (ignoring His words). Embracing and living out the Sermon on the Mount is clearly in our own interest. We will still experience winds and storms, but our house will stand, for it is built on solid rock.
Get out your Bible. Read chapter 5, 6, and 7 of Matthew’s Gospel. Go back and read it again, more slowly and meditatively over 6 or 7 days.
–Fr. Mike Comer
