The Call to Trust and Act

Author: Fr. Ignatius Britto, SJ
Human Impatience Vs God’s Plan
Reflection Date: June 26, 2025 Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Genesis 16: 1-12, 15-16; Matthew 7: 21-29

The passages from Genesis and Matthew offer profound insights into human impatience, divine intervention, and God’s faithfulness.

When Abram and Sarah take matters into their own hands due to impatience with God’s promise, it results in conflict and tension. Hagar conceives and begins to look down on Sarah. In response, Sarah mistreats her, and Hagar flees into the wilderness alone and abused. In her distress, she cries out to God, calling Him El Roi, which means “the God who sees me.” And God does see her. He sees beyond human rejection and responds with tenderness. There are people around us—the marginalized, misunderstood, or mistreated—who need to be reminded that they, too, are seen by God.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus brings His Sermon on the Mount to a powerful close. He warns that “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.” He offers the image of two builders: one wise and one foolish. The wise person hears and acts on God’s word, while the foolish one hears but fails to live it out. Faith in action is what defines authentic discipleship. It is easy to say prayers and attend religious gatherings, but what truly matters is living the Gospel, especially when it’s difficult. It is like building on a rock; it demands time, effort, hard work, and perseverance. But Jesus assures us that those who obey Him will stand firm, no matter the storms. Let us trust, obey, and build our lives on Him alone.

Call to Action:                                                                           

• It is time to examine whether our faith is merely verbal or transformative in action.
• Are we building our lives on the solid rock of Jesus’ teachings or on shifting sand?