Those who are fans of the Star Wars movies will recognize the quote from Yoda which is the title of this post. Yoda, the Jedi master, is talking to Luke Skywalker about using the force, and Luke insists he is trying, but cannot make it work. Yoda is frustrated with Luke's lack of commitment, and views Luke's statement that he is "trying" as just an evasion, an excuse for not really using all of his energy and will. And, Yoda would say, it is that lack of commitment to the enterprise that causes Luke to fail. While He doesn't use the same language, Jesus is making much the same point today (Mt 7: 21, 24-27) when He talks about doing the will of the Father. It is fine to hear what Jesus says-- necessary, even-- but just hearing isn't enough, Jesus tells us. We have to do, to act, to listen to Jesus' words "and act on them." That means we don't get to say things like "I try to follow Christ" or "I try to be a good Christian" or "I give it my best shot." Those kinds of statements are all excuses for just hearing Jesus, but not doing what Jesus says. They're evasions. They are building our house on sand, not rock. This is the season of Advent, when we say we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ. Do we actually prepare ourselves internally? We don't just "try" to decorate our houses or buy presents-- we do that, and we're not satisfied until it is done. But do we have the same commitment to preparing our hearts to receive jesus, to welcoming Him into our lives, to recognizing the amazing reality of the Incarnation? Or do we just "try" to do that? Imagine what it would take to actually "do" what we say we are "trying to do" in terms of our spiritual preparation. Listen to Jesus, and then do what He says. Or don't, and admit that you really aren't willing to put your heart into being a Christian. At least then you're being honest.