Family Bible Study - 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Passage
Matt. 7:21 “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in
your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works
in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart
from me, you evildoers.’ 7:24 “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; 25 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.
26 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; 27 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.”
Questions for discussion -

1. Jesus says that it’s not enough to pray — when we say, “Lord, Lord” — but
we have to do the will of God by putting his teaching into practice. How do
you learn God’s will? How do you put it into practice?

2. Jesus says that there are two types of people we can be, those who build
their house on rock (or firm ground) and those who build their house on sand
(or flimsy ground). What does it mean to build on rock? Have you done so?

3. Jesus says that our house (read, our life) will be buffeted by winds, rain,
floods and more. What do you think these “winds” or “floods” or “rain” are in
the example Jesus uses?
used with permission - Fr. Roger Landry