Bottom line: Jesus, be my rock: Give me the grace to accept you - and live according to your word.

The story is told about a shipwreck. One of the sailors, thrown from boat, flailed about in the water, thinking he would surely drown. As he moved his arms, trying to stay afloat, he felt something solid about a foot below the water level. He grabbed it and, even though the sea was churning around him, he managed to hold on. When dawn finally arrived - and the tide had gone out - he realized he was holding onto a rock some distance from the shore. A boat came to rescue him. They asked him, "Didn't you shake with fear when you were hanging on that rock."

"Yes," he replied, "but the rock didn't."

In today's responsorial psalm we prayed, "Be my rock." You and I are like that sailor - tossed about on a dark sea. Like him, our one hope is reaching out for that rock - and holding tight when we find it. Morning will arrive.

Most of us have been tossed around enough that we know there is no lasting security in this world. But, even though we realize that intellectually, it somehow does not penetrate our hearts. We keep thinking that some thing or some person will give us what we need. Maybe if I just had a little bit more money, everything would be fine. A study showed that the typical American believes that if he had just ten percent more income, he would be happy.* You and I know that is an illusion. Somebody figured out that the average CEO in the United States earns 411 times the amount of his ordinary employee. And they still want more! No amount of money - no person, place or thing will give lasting happiness. There is only one who can give us true security. Jesus, be my rock.

In today's second reading, St. Paul unmasks another kind of false security. He warns about the deception of legalism - the idea that if I somehow do everything letter perfect then no one can criticize me, not even God. Legalism leads to the mentality that I've always got to be right. No, you and I will not be saved by being right - or even by doing right. None of us can make ourselves right with God. As Fr. John Waldrep said last weekend, "God does not love us because we are lovable." God loves us because of of his Son. Jesus, be my rock.

Blessed Mother Teresa knew that. Few people did more for the poor than Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. But she knew that works would not save her. She recognized her poverty before God. We now know from her letters that Blessed Mother Teresa experienced a prolonged inner darkness. During that dark night, she clung to the only one who could save her. Jesus was her rock.

Jesus, be my rock. I want to build my life on a rock foundation. Jesus speaks about that in the Gospel. It is not enough just to say, "Lord, Lord," and then go on as if Jesus didn't matter. No, we have live according to his Word. That means such things as respecting marriage - not using the gift of sexuality apart from God's plan. It means worshiping God in the way he has established - by attending Sunday Mass. Mass is the renewal of the one sacrifice that saves us. As we worship Jesus, we ask for grace to live according to his word. Jesus, be my rock.

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