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 “ravening wolves”,  who  lead  others  to  commit  grievous  sins,  and  are the cause  of  their  eternal  loss.

Avoid all  companions  who  are  either  irreligious or immoral. Do not  read  any  bad  or  un-Christian  books. To read such books  is  dangerous  to  both  faith  and  morals,  and  for  this reason it  is  forbidden  by  the  Church.

“Every one,  therefore,  that  heareth  these  my  words,  and  doth them, shall  be  likened  to  a wise  man  that  built  his  house  upon a rock. And the  rain  fell,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  beat  upon that house,  and  it  fell  not,  for  it  was  founded  upon  a rock. And everyone that  heareth  these  my  words,  and  doth  them  not,  shall be like  a foolish  man  that  built  his  house  upon  the  sand. And the rain  fell,  and  the  floods  came,  and  the  winds  blew,  and  they beat upon  that  house,  and  it  fell,  and  great  was  the  fall  thereof.”

Now it  came  to  pass  that,  when  Jesus  had  fully  ended  these words, the  people  were  in  admiration  at  His  doctrine. For He taught  them  as  one  having  power, and  not  as  their  Scribes  and Pharisees.

The rock  of  faith.  The  magnificent  concluding  words  of  the  Sermon on the  Mount  mean  this:  He  who  has  a Jiving  faith  in  Jesus  Christ stands firmly  on  a rock. He does  not  totter  in  time  of  danger,  being assured that,  by  reason  of  his  aim  in  life  and  his  good  works,  his  soul is safe. The rock,  therefore,  which  resists  all  trials  and  temptations,  even the terrors  of  death  and  the  judgment,  is  a living  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.

Only living  faith  assures  salvation. Once  more  our  Lord  reiterates that, in  order  to  be  saved,  a man  must  not  only  heart  but  also  do what  He  says. He who  hears  and  believes  our  Lord’s  words,  and  does not to  them,  is  like  the  foolish  man  who  built  his  house  on  the  sand. Faith alone — faith  without  works — cannot  save.

Jesus, the Great  Prophet.  In  Him  was  fulfilled  Moses’  prophecy (Old Test.  XLIV): “The  Lord  thy  God  will  raise  up  to  thee  a Prophet of thy  nation,  and  of  thy  brethren,  like  unto  me. Him thou  shalt  hear.” He promulgates  by  His  own  authority  the  Law  of  the  New  Testament,