H.H. Pope Tawadros II delivered his weekly sermon during the Wednesday meeting this evening from St. Anthony’s Church in the Papal Residence at the Abbassiya Cathedral. The sermon was broadcast via Christian satellite channels and the online C.O.C. channel affiliated with the Church’s Media Center.
His Holiness continued his series “Pairs in the Parables of Christ” and read from Matthew 7:24–27 and Luke 6:46–49, addressing the Parable of the Houses of the Wise Man and the House of the Foolish Man. He explained that the wise and foolish individuals in the parable represent the different philosophies and lifestyles people choose for themselves.
Pope Tawadros pointed out that in the Holy Bible, the rock is the Lord Christ: “And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). Thus, in today’s parable, the rock represents a person who builds their life on the foundation of obedience to Christ’s commandments and living by them.
His Holiness elaborated that building a house and life requires clarity, and the Lord Christ must be the foundation of all relationships that connect a person to the world around them: “Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:20–22). The term “chief cornerstone” here highlights how Christ, through His salvation, united both Jews and Gentiles.
His Holiness explained that the house in the parable represents a person’s life: their soul, family, service etc… If a life is founded on the rock—with Christ’s presence and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—that person is wise: “For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people'” (2 Corinthians 6:16). On the other hand, the foolish person builds their house on the unstable sand, symbolizing a life attached to earthly matters.
Pope Tawadros emphasized the importance of self-examination during Lent, so one can correct his life’s balance for the rest of the year and pay attention to building his life.
His Holiness then posed the question: “What happened to the wise and foolish houses when faced with trials?
- The Rain Fell: This refers to light drizzle, symbolizing daily challenges that pass quickly, or heavy rain, representing severe obstacles that hinder spiritual life. When rain falls on the house of a wise person who built on the rock and has a strong life, it does not affect it: “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance” (Psalm 32:7).
- The Floods Came
Floods symbolize major disasters such as the loss of a loved one or painful sins like betrayal, which can destroy a person’s life. However, when a wise person faces calamities, they do not lose faith but endure the trial: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea (Psalm 46:1–2). - The Winds Blew
Winds can be either gentle or violent, symbolizing words—whether praise or criticism: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21). The wise person ignores hurtful words and focuses on God’s word: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
Pope Tawadros concluded that when a wise person encounters rain, floods, and winds, they listen to and obey God’s word, building their souls and the souls of
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