Commentary of the Gospell

If there has ever been a Bible story for our times, it is the story in today’s first reading. It certainly seems as though we live in a Toer of Babble (Babel). All too often we act like the people who tried to build the tower with its top in the sky. How are we like them? First, their goal focused on their own greatness and their efforts to protect their power in this world. Is there attempt to build a brick tower reaching into the sky really different from our attempts to find security by building up our bank accounts or to increase our political or cultural power.

Second, these builders attempted to achieve their goals without reference to or reliance on God. Believing that we can do it on our own will always confuse and divide our efforts. Only by placing our trust entirely in God can we keep our precious souls unstained and come into the heavenly kingdom.