Christ: The cornerstone of our lives

We are blessed in our parish to have priests and deacons who draw meaningful connections between the Scripture readings at Mass and our daily lives. On the Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, our pastor reflected on Matthew’s Gospel (21:33-43), the parable of the wicked tenants and Jesus’ warning that “The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.”

In ancient times, builders carefully positioned a cornerstone to set a building’s alignment. It provided a reference point for building the subsequent walls, ensuring a stable structure. The pastor used this example to show that, as Christians, we must align ourselves with Jesus Christ, who is the cornerstone of our lives. We can’t expect Him to conform to our preferences; we must strive to shape our choices, priorities, and actions according to His teachings. This also means guarding against the temptation to focus on outward religious observance while neglecting its deeper purpose. Jesus challenged those who emphasized outward observance while neglecting the deeper demands of faith: justice, mercy, and love of neighbor. His teaching calls us to a radical love of others — a love that must guide not only what we believe but also how we treat the people around us. Yet, before I can offer this radical love to others, I must first ensure that Christ remains the fixed reference point in my own life.

I always look for connections between Scripture and my own life. As I absorbed the homily over the subsequent days, I thought of the stone walls that have become part of my own story. Many years ago, my wife and I purchased a Victorian-era home in a quaint rural town in upstate New York. We immediately fell in love with its craftsmanship, from the built-in cabinets and coffered ceilings to the classic wainscoting. I was particularly drawn to the fieldstone foundation and the remnants of another stone foundation, which once supported a large barn for horses and carriages. Built two stones thick, these remnants now serve as an attractive divider between our patio and back courtyard. I am fascinated by how these stones, formed deep within the earth over countless years, were put to practical use through human ingenuity — a reminder of the gifts God provides and the good we can accomplish with the abilities He has given us.

One section of the old barn foundation would eventually provide an even more personal lesson. Poor yard drainage had caused one side of the wall to lean considerably out of alignment. Having spent my career in the electric utility construction industry and being something of a do-it-yourself perfectionist, I knew I could not leave it that way. Over the following months, I spent evenings after work and weekends carefully dismantling the affected section until I reached the portions that remained properly aligned. Then began the slow, methodical process of rebuilding the wall. My first step was to stretch a string line from the existing straight section, creating a reference for restoring the damaged portion to its proper alignment. In my spiritual life, that string line represents the importance of placing God at the center of my life. This is always a challenge. Why? Life is hard. We face countless decisions every day, and those decisions affect not only us but also our loved ones and even people we may never know. In these challenges, temptation and human weakness can lead us away from the path God calls us to follow.

Personally, I often feel like Peter, depicted in a mural at a nearby church, sinking into the Sea of Galilee after wavering in the faith he had just demonstrated by stepping out of the boat toward Jesus. Yet even as Peter sank, Jesus immediately saved him. This is why we must keep Christ as the lifeline in our lives. By setting aside quiet time for prayer and reflection, participating in the Mass, and receiving the sacraments, we open ourselves to God’s grace, allowing us to examine our choices and correct our course when necessary. No matter how far we may stray or how lost we may feel, Christ is always there to guide us back into alignment with Him.

As Catholics, we recognize that life unfolds in seasons of peaks and valleys. God can use these experiences to strengthen our faith, cultivate virtue, and shape our character. When we keep Christ as the cornerstone of our lives, His teachings help us navigate these seasons and grow in the holiness to which we are called. What a gift of grace that God, our Creator, invites us to build our lives on the firm foundation of His Son, shaping us into the people He calls us to be.