Thursday of the 1st week of Advent 

Isaiah 26:1-6
Ps 117(118):1,8-9,19-21,25-27
Matthew 7:21,​24-27

In today’s first reading from Isaiah, God is called the “eternal Rock,” a metaphor for His dependability. Today’s Gospel features part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus speaks about doing God’s will. Discipleship requires commitment: placing Christ at the center of life, even above family. It’s not easy and requires careful weighing, but the reward is great. If Jesus asked you to leave everything and follow Him, what would be hardest to leave? For every Christian, the goal is to do God’s will. Isaiah 26:3 states, ‘The Lord grant peace to those whose faith is firm.’ When you do God’s will, you stand on the unshakable Rock.

Fr Joseph Osho