Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 373
Lectionary: 373
The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
"Fear not, Abram!
I am your shield;
I will make your reward very great."
But Abram said,
"O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be,
if I keep on being childless
and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?"
Abram continued,
"See, you have given me no offspring,
and so one of my servants will be my heir."
Then the word of the LORD came to him:
"No, that one shall not be your heir;
your own issue shall be your heir."
He took him outside and said:
"Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be."
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
He then said to him,
"I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans
to give you this land as a possession."
"O Lord GOD," he asked,
"how am I to know that I shall possess it?"
He answered him,
"Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.
When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: "To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates."
"Fear not, Abram!
I am your shield;
I will make your reward very great."
But Abram said,
"O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be,
if I keep on being childless
and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?"
Abram continued,
"See, you have given me no offspring,
and so one of my servants will be my heir."
Then the word of the LORD came to him:
"No, that one shall not be your heir;
your own issue shall be your heir."
He took him outside and said:
"Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so," he added, "shall your descendants be."
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
He then said to him,
"I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans
to give you this land as a possession."
"O Lord GOD," he asked,
"how am I to know that I shall possess it?"
He answered him,
"Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon."
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.
When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: "To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates."
Responsorial
PsalmPS 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
R.(8a) The
Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 15:4A, 5B
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 7:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples:
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them."
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them."
Meditation:
"You will know them by their fruits"
What do grapes, thorns, figs, and thistles have to teach us
about the kingdom of God? The imagery used by Jesus would have been very
familiar to his audience. A certain thorn bush had berries which resembled
grapes. And a certain thistle had a flower, which at least from a distance,
resembled the fig. Isn't it the same today? What we "hear" might have
a resemblance of the truth, but, in fact, when you inspect it closely, it's
actually false. False prophets or teachers abound today as much as they did in
biblical times.
A sound mind accepts what is truly good and
right and rejects what is false and wrong
What's the test of a true or false teacher? Jesus connects soundness with good fruit. Something is sound when it is free from defect, decay, or disease and is healthy. Good fruit is the result of sound living - living according to moral truth and upright character. The prophet Isaiah warned against the dangers of falsehood: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20). The fruits of falsehood produce an easy religion which takes the iron out of religion, the cross out of Christianity, and any teaching which eliminates the hard sayings of Jesus, and which push the judgments of God into the background and makes us think lightly of sin.
What's the test of a true or false teacher? Jesus connects soundness with good fruit. Something is sound when it is free from defect, decay, or disease and is healthy. Good fruit is the result of sound living - living according to moral truth and upright character. The prophet Isaiah warned against the dangers of falsehood: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness (Isaiah 5:20). The fruits of falsehood produce an easy religion which takes the iron out of religion, the cross out of Christianity, and any teaching which eliminates the hard sayings of Jesus, and which push the judgments of God into the background and makes us think lightly of sin.
How do we avoid falsehood in our personal lives? By being true -
true to God, his word, and his grace. And that takes character! Those who are
true to God know that their strength lies not in themselves but in God who
supplies what we need. The fruit of a disciple is marked by faith, hope and
love, justice, prudence, fortitude and temperance. Do you seek to cultivate
good fruit in your life and reject whatever produces bad fruit?
"Lord Jesus, may I bear good fruit for your sake and reject
whatever will produce evil fruit. Help me grow in faith, hope, love, sound
judgment, justice, courage, and self control."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Beware of false prophets, by John
Chrysostom, 547-407 A.D.
"Jesus
reminded them of what happened to their ancestors who were attracted to false
prophets. The same dangers are now faced as those that occurred in earlier
days. He reminded them of the experience of their ancestors so that they would
not despair at the multitude of troubles that would mount up on this way that
is narrow and constricted. He reminded them that it is necessary to walk in a
way that goes contrary to the common opinion. One must guard oneself not only
against pigs and dogs but those other, more elusive creatures: the wolves. They
were going to face inward anxieties as well as outward difficulties, but they
are not to despair. 'Therefore do not be thrown into confusion,' Jesus says in
effect, 'for nothing will happen that is new or strange. Remember that the
ancient adversary is forever introducing deception as if true.'" (excerpt
from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 23.6)
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, MATTHEW 7:15-20
Weekday
(Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 105)
Weekday
(Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 105)
KEY VERSE: "By their fruits you will know them" (v. 16).
TO KNOW: Jesus warned the Christian community to be on guard against false teachers, which he compared to ravenous wolves disguised as innocent sheep. Their teachings might appear to be harmless, but the effect was as destructive as rot in a sound tree. The way that true Christians could be distinguished from false was by looking at the fruit they produced. Did they promote a spirit of conflict and discord or of unity and faith? Paul listed the fruits of the Spirit as being love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal 5:22-23). Christians who are obedient to Christ and his gospel produced good fruit like that of a healthy tree.
TO LOVE: Which fruit of the Spirit do my labors produce?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, give me discernment in judging the true from the false.
Wednesday 26 June 2019
Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18. Psalm 104(105):1-4, 6-9. Matthew
7:15-20.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever – Psalm 104(105):1-4, 6-9.
‘Beware of false prophets!’ says Jesus. ‘You will know them by their fruits.’
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever – Psalm 104(105):1-4, 6-9.
‘Beware of false prophets!’ says Jesus. ‘You will know them by their fruits.’
Today there are many people ready to sell shortcuts to
fulfilment. Promoted via social media or the tabloid press, self-help gurus
often suggest personal, financial or professional gain if you attend their
seminar or pay for their subscription service. They may have written a book
peddling a sure-fire way to get rid of possessions or offer a webinar series
which will ensure ‘financial freedom’ or ‘real estate success.’
Jesus offers deeper satisfaction than any of these. His good
tree offers us good fruit: the forgiving kindness of God, a call to
discipleship, a guiding law of love. On following him we gradually receive the
fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Our path is not without its
darkness, but we are given the light of his presence as a help and guide. In
him alone will we find true fulfilment.
Blessed Raymond Lull
Saint of the Day for June 26
(c. 1235 – June 28, 1315)
 |
| Life of Raymond Lull | reproduced in An illustrated history of the Knights Templar, James Wasserman | photo by Thomas le Myésier |
Blessed Raymond Lull’s Story
Raymond worked all his life to promote the missions and died a
missionary to North Africa.
Raymond was born at Palma on the island of Mallorca in the
Mediterranean Sea. He earned a position in the king’s court there. One day a
sermon inspired him to dedicate his life to working for the conversion of the
Muslims in North Africa. He became a Secular Franciscan and founded a college
where missionaries could learn the Arabic they would need in the missions.
Retiring to solitude, he spent nine years as a hermit. During that time he
wrote on all branches of knowledge, a work which earned him the title “Enlightened
Doctor.”
Raymond then made many trips through Europe to interest popes,
kings, and princes in establishing special colleges to prepare future
missionaries. He achieved his goal in 1311, when the Council of Vienne ordered
the creation of chairs of Hebrew, Arabic, and Chaldean at the universities of
Bologna, Oxford, Paris, and Salamanca. At the age of 79, Raymond went to North
Africa in 1314 to be a missionary himself. An angry crowd of Muslims stoned him
in the city of Bougie. Genoese merchants took him back to Mallorca, where he
died. Raymond was beatified in 1514. His Liturgical Feast Day is
June 30.
Reflection
Raymond worked most of his life to help spread the gospel.
Indifference on the part of some Christian leaders and opposition in North
Africa did not turn him from his goal. Three hundred years later Raymond’s work
began to have an influence in the Americas. When the Spanish began to spread
the gospel in the New World, they set up missionary colleges to aid the
work. Saint Junípero Serra belonged to such a college.
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 7,15-20
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Ordinary Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Father,
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 7,15-20
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Beware of false prophets who come
to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves.
You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick
grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree
produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad
fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown
on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.'
3) REFLECTION
• We are reaching the final recommendations of the Sermon on the
Mountain. Comparing the Gospel of Matthew with that of Mark one perceives a
great difference in the way in which they present the teaching of Jesus.
Matthew insists more on the content of the teaching and organizes it into five
great Discourses, of which the first one is the Sermon of the Mountain (Mt 5 to
7). Mark, over fifteen times, says that Jesus taught, but he
rarely says what he taught. In spite of this difference, both agree on a point:
Jesus taught very much. To teach was what Jesus did the most (Mk 2, 13; 4, 1-2;
6, 34). He used to do it always (Mk 10, 1). Matthew is interested in the
content. But does he want to say that Mark does not do it? Depends on what we
want to say when we speak about content! To teach is not only a question of
communicating a truth in such a way that people learn it by heart. The content
is not limited to words, but it is also composed by gestures and consists in
the way in which Jesus used to relate himself with persons. The
content has never been separated from the person who communicates it. The
person, in fact, is the origin of the content. The good content without
goodness is like milk spilt on the ground. It does not convince and conversion
does not take place.
• The final recommendations and the result of the Sermon on the
Mountain in the conscience of the people are the points of the Gospel of today
(Mt 7, 15-20) and of tomorrow (Mt 7, 21-29). (The sequence of the Gospel of the
days of the week is not always the same as that of the Gospels).
Matthew 7, 13-14: Choose the sure way
Matthew 7, 15-20: The prophet is known by the fruits
Matthew 7, 21-23: Not only speak, but act.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Construct the house on rock.
Matthew 7, 28-29: The new conscience of the people.
Matthew 7, 15-20: The prophet is known by the fruits
Matthew 7, 21-23: Not only speak, but act.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Construct the house on rock.
Matthew 7, 28-29: The new conscience of the people.
• Matthew 7, 15-16ª: Beware of false prophets. In
the time of Jesus, there were prophets of all types, persons who announced
apocalyptic messages to involve people in different movements of that time:
Essen, Pharisee, Zelots, and others (cf. Ac 5, 36-37). When Matthew writes
there were also prophets who announced messages diverse from the one proclaimed
by the community. The Letters of Paul mention these movements and tendencies
(cf. 1 Co 12,3; Gal 1,7-9; 2,11-14;6,12). It must not have been easy for the
community to make the discernment of spirits. From here results the importance
of the words of Jesus on false prophets. The warning of Jesus is very
strong: “Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep
but underneath are ravenous wolves”. The same image is used when Jesus
sends the disciples on mission: “I am sending you out as sheep among
wolves” (Mt 10, 16 e Lc 10, 3). The opposition between the ravenous
wolf and the meek sheep is irreconcilable, unless the wolf is converted and
looses its aggressiveness as the Prophet Isaiah suggests (Is 11, 6; 65, 25).
What is important here in our text is the gift of discernment. It is not easy
to discern the spirits. Sometimes it happens that personal interests or of a
group lead the person to proclaim false those prophets who
announce the truth and disturb. That happened with Jesus. He was eliminated and
put to death, considered a false prophet by the religious authority of that
time. Ever so often, the same thing has happened and continues to happen in our
Church.
• Matthew 7, 16b-20: The comparison of the tree and of
its fruits. To help to discern the spirits, Jesus uses the comparison
of the fruit: “You will be able to tell them by their fruits”. A
similar criterion had been suggested by the Book of Deuteronomy (Dt 18, 21-22).
And Jesus adds: “Can you pick grapes from thorns, or figs from
thistles? In the same way a sound tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree
bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good
fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire. In the Gospel of John, Jesus completes the comparison: “Every
branch in me that bears no fruit, he cuts away. Every branch that does bear
fruit, he prunes to make it bear even more. As a branch cannot bear fruit all
by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you
remain in me. Those branches will be cut off and thrown into the fire to be
burnt” (Jn 15, 2.4.6)
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• False prophets! Do you know any case in which a good and
honest person who proclaimed a truth which disturbed was condemned as a false
prophet?
• In judging from the fruits of the tree of your personal life,
how do you define yourself: as false or as true?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
Yahweh, look at my suffering and rescue me,
for I do not forget your Law.
Plead my cause and defend me;
as you promised, give me life. (Ps 119,153-154)
for I do not forget your Law.
Plead my cause and defend me;
as you promised, give me life. (Ps 119,153-154)
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 7,15-20
Lectio Divina:
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) OPENING PRAYER
Father,
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
guide and protector of your people,
grant us an unfailing respect for your name,
and keep us always in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) GOSPEL READING - MATTHEW 7,15-20
Jesus said to his disciples: 'Beware of false prophets who come
to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves.
You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick
grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, a sound tree
produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad
fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown
on the fire. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.'
3) REFLECTION
• We are reaching the final recommendations of the Sermon on the
Mountain. Comparing the Gospel of Matthew with that of Mark one perceives a
great difference in the way in which they present the teaching of Jesus.
Matthew insists more on the content of the teaching and organizes it into five
great Discourses, of which the first one is the Sermon of the Mountain (Mt 5 to
7). Mark, over fifteen times, says that Jesus taught, but he
rarely says what he taught. In spite of this difference, both agree on a point:
Jesus taught very much. To teach was what Jesus did the most (Mk 2, 13; 4, 1-2;
6, 34). He used to do it always (Mk 10, 1). Matthew is interested in the
content. But does he want to say that Mark does not do it? Depends on what we
want to say when we speak about content! To teach is not only a question of
communicating a truth in such a way that people learn it by heart. The content
is not limited to words, but it is also composed by gestures and consists in
the way in which Jesus used to relate himself with persons. The
content has never been separated from the person who communicates it. The
person, in fact, is the origin of the content. The good content without
goodness is like milk spilt on the ground. It does not convince and conversion
does not take place.
• The final recommendations and the result of the Sermon on the
Mountain in the conscience of the people are the points of the Gospel of today
(Mt 7, 15-20) and of tomorrow (Mt 7, 21-29). (The sequence of the Gospel of the
days of the week is not always the same as that of the Gospels).
Matthew 7, 13-14: Choose the sure way
Matthew 7, 15-20: The prophet is known by the fruits
Matthew 7, 21-23: Not only speak, but act.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Construct the house on rock.
Matthew 7, 28-29: The new conscience of the people.
Matthew 7, 15-20: The prophet is known by the fruits
Matthew 7, 21-23: Not only speak, but act.
Matthew 7, 24-27: Construct the house on rock.
Matthew 7, 28-29: The new conscience of the people.
• Matthew 7, 15-16ª: Beware of false prophets. In
the time of Jesus, there were prophets of all types, persons who announced
apocalyptic messages to involve people in different movements of that time:
Essen, Pharisee, Zelots, and others (cf. Ac 5, 36-37). When Matthew writes
there were also prophets who announced messages diverse from the one proclaimed
by the community. The Letters of Paul mention these movements and tendencies
(cf. 1 Co 12,3; Gal 1,7-9; 2,11-14;6,12). It must not have been easy for the
community to make the discernment of spirits. From here results the importance
of the words of Jesus on false prophets. The warning of Jesus is very
strong: “Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep
but underneath are ravenous wolves”. The same image is used when Jesus
sends the disciples on mission: “I am sending you out as sheep among
wolves” (Mt 10, 16 e Lc 10, 3). The opposition between the ravenous
wolf and the meek sheep is irreconcilable, unless the wolf is converted and
looses its aggressiveness as the Prophet Isaiah suggests (Is 11, 6; 65, 25).
What is important here in our text is the gift of discernment. It is not easy
to discern the spirits. Sometimes it happens that personal interests or of a
group lead the person to proclaim false those prophets who
announce the truth and disturb. That happened with Jesus. He was eliminated and
put to death, considered a false prophet by the religious authority of that
time. Ever so often, the same thing has happened and continues to happen in our
Church.
• Matthew 7, 16b-20: The comparison of the tree and of
its fruits. To help to discern the spirits, Jesus uses the comparison
of the fruit: “You will be able to tell them by their fruits”. A
similar criterion had been suggested by the Book of Deuteronomy (Dt 18, 21-22).
And Jesus adds: “Can you pick grapes from thorns, or figs from
thistles? In the same way a sound tree produces good fruit, but a rotten tree
bad fruit. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good
fruit. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into
the fire. In the Gospel of John, Jesus completes the comparison: “Every
branch in me that bears no fruit, he cuts away. Every branch that does bear
fruit, he prunes to make it bear even more. As a branch cannot bear fruit all
by itself, unless it remains part of the vine, neither can you unless you
remain in me. Those branches will be cut off and thrown into the fire to be
burnt” (Jn 15, 2.4.6)
4) PERSONAL QUESTIONS
• False prophets! Do you know any case in which a good and
honest person who proclaimed a truth which disturbed was condemned as a false
prophet?
• In judging from the fruits of the tree of your personal life,
how do you define yourself: as false or as true?
5) CONCLUDING PRAYER
Yahweh, look at my suffering and rescue me,
for I do not forget your Law.
Plead my cause and defend me;
as you promised, give me life. (Ps 119,153-154)
for I do not forget your Law.
Plead my cause and defend me;
as you promised, give me life. (Ps 119,153-154)
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