St. Paul compares living well to building a house. In this (short Summer) homily, Fr. Anthony explains what St. Paul meant and why it is such Good News.
Homily Notes
Homily on Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
1 Corinthian 3:9-17
We will be tested… (but all can pass)
We are like a building: our foundation is Christ (if not? Sinking sand!)
We build on that foundation according to our abilities and our work ethic
This building is meant to be a proper place for God to dwell (what kind should that be?)
The resulting house is tested, during this life and the Judgment to come (“The Day will declare it”)
Weak parts will fail, leading us to build up the temple stronger and more beautiful than before.
The only way the builder can fail is to defile the temple.
NOT really about architecture: it’s about life.
Events in this world will test our faith: if it is in anything but God, our lives will merge with the surrounding chaos; no shelter from the storm and no floor above the abyss.
Even if we build our life on Christ, the storms of life WILL TEST the strength of our faith.
Weak and vulnerable parts of our life will need to be strengthened our replaced.
Over time, this will lead the diligent and hard working human to have a resilient, confident, and joyful life.
Here is the Good News: the only way to fail in life is to defile our souls by kicking God out and replacing Him with other things.
Being a poor builder – even a lazy builder – will lead to a more difficult life as it is more vulnerable to all of the crazy and dangerous things that happen in the world; but such a builder will himself be saved “yet as through fire.” (1 Cor 3:15)
This is because salvation is not through our own works, but through the one on whom our lives are built and for whom our lived are lived.
Those who make Christ the foundation of how they live and allow His Spirit to stay within their hearts will be saved.
Let us thank God for this Good news by singing His praises now.
