Feet of clay

There are giants among us, especially among Christians: men and women who stand tall, who speak the truth with power, and who do great deeds.

And sometimes even these giants fall.

Today’s first reading (Daniel 2:31-45) describes the famous vision of a great statue of gold, silver, brass and iron whose feet were a mixture of iron and clay: the feet are struck by a mysterious stone, the statue comes tumbling down, and the stone becomes a great mountain that fills the earth.

The most basic meaning of the vision is that it describes the succession of ancient Middle Eastern empires and the future Kingdom of God.

The vision has also been used as a metaphor for the fall of exalted personages: they had "feet of clay."

What about our own feet?

Do we have feet of clay? Do we base our lives or our faith on things that are inherently fragile, such as emotion or a single hero figure?

Do we have feet of iron mixed with clay? Are we living our lives atop an accumulation of compromises?

We need to make our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ever more the foundation of our lives, for he is the Rock: the one who fills the earth and who stands forever.