26.06.2024 – St. Patrick Catholic Church, Largo, FL

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What kind of fruits are you bearing?

2Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3, 36, Psalm 119, Matthew 7:15-20

The Letter to the Hebrew teaches us that the Word of the Lord is alive and active (Heb 4:12). The word of God that is proclaimed every day is like a double-edged sword with the capacity to penetrate our inner most being – cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. That is exactly why every true conversion stem from an encounter with the word of God; every good deed that we do comes as a result (fruit) of our encounter with the word of God. Because the God we worship is a living God, His word is alive, powerful and always active within us, among his people.

This is exactly what we see in today’s first reading. An encounter with the word of God. When the Book of the Law – the Word of God was discovered in the Temple, King Josiah has the book of the covenant read to different groups of people. When the word of God was proclaimed to the people, the people appreciated the word, felt the need to convert back to the Lord, reforming their hearts, their ways in order to align with the word of God being proclaimed. It was obvious that they had neglected the Word of God and they were ready to make amends. They were challenged and confronted by the word and they were humble enough to resolve to turn a new leaf.

Do we allow the word of God that is being read every day to challenge our way of life? When the word is proclaimed that touches an aspect of life that we are not doing well, are we humble enough to resolve to change our ways? Do we ever feel the need for conversion? Today’s Gospel also gives us something to think about. Jesus says that “you will know them by their fruits.” A Christian that has allowed himself to be confronted by God’s word is known by the fruits he bears. St. Paul writing to the Galatians highlights some of the fruits to include: love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

If we have wandered away from the Lord’s will, or our first, enthusiastic hopes and ideals have faded, we need to turn to prayer, contemplate the Scriptures, and be willing to be converted anew to the Lord. Today’s first reading with its call for renewal and fidelity, could, as in the days of King Josiah, be an excellent guide for us. The good tree was only partially decayed; it doesn’t have to be cut down, only pruned and brought back to health, and again it will bear good fruit. God will again confirm our faith and renew the bond of life with us.

Christians should not be impression makers. We should not project an attractive image but become false and deceptive inside. What’s really in our hearts should always correspond to how we appear to others. The real test of our hearts is the kind of attitude that bears fruit in our good deeds.