Wednesday of the 12^th week in ordinary time

Gen. 15: 1-12.17-18       Mathew 7: 15-20

Theme: By their fruits

In the gospel reading of today, Jesus warns us to be mindful of false prophets, by their fruits you shall know them. The first question we should always ask ourselves is what type of fruits they are bearing. A good and healthy tree cannot bear a sick and bad fruit, likewise a sick tree cannot bear a good fruit. Jesus is simply saying we should be vigilant and be mindful of this fact. This is because they can sometimes disguise themselves as sheep while they are wolves. We must always be vigilant and not allow our desperation to blind us to the reality around us. This is very important, because most times the signs are there to tell us that there is something wrong here, but because of our desperation we fail to see it. You must be very careful, lest you give them the power to exploit and manipulate you for their selfish gains.

Dear friends in Christ, can you relate with this situation in your personal life? This is important because as children of God, we are all called to bear good fruits in our daily life. We must strive to mirror Christ in all that we do, if we truly want to bear good fruits. Remember, Jesus is our standard, when you notice something different from what Jesus would have done ordinarily, then you must be careful and thread with caution. A good example is, Jesus never collected money for consultation or healing of the sick, and so many other funny practices that is taking place in our world today. Just be mindful of this and have peace.

In the 1^st reading of today from the Book of Genesis God calms the fear of Abram. He is worried because he has no child of his own, and the Lord tells him, do not be afraid. God calmed him down and made a covenant with him, and it was all fulfilled in the life of Abram. In the same way, the Lord is saying to you today, do not be afraid. Trust in him and be calm, and his promises in your life will be fulfilled. Just continue to do your best and trust in God’s process. As you do this, may almighty God bless you in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.