1 Cor. 10:14-22, Ps. 116:12-13,17-18, Luke 6:43-49
“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit” (Luke 6:43)
In today’s Gospel passage, we heard Jesus saying: “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.”
What makes a person good? It is the contents of his heart. When the heart is full of good treasures, it determines what the person produces. How can we be good? By carefully selecting the contents of our hearts. The heart is like a computer, it is what you put into it that it comes out with.
I like the parable of the two dragons. A mother told her daughter about two dragons that are constantly fighting within her and she asked, “Which of them wins?” The mother replied: “The one you feed.” Of course, a well-fed dragon will always defeat the malnourished and impoverished dragon. Each of us has something of God within us, yet we commit sin and do all kinds of evil. We are feeding the wrong dragon.
Jesus wants us to understand today that our goodness, that is, our ability to bear good fruits depends on how well we practice what his words teach us. By practicing the word of God, we hear on a daily basis, we become like a house built on a firm foundation, impossible to shake. Refusal to practice God’s words amounts to a refusal to feed the good dragon and this leads to a cycle of perpetual sinfulness.
Of course, we cannot serve two masters. We cannot afford to feed both dragons at the same time. St. Paul in today’s first reading tells us: “I do not want you to be partners with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy?”
Let us pray: Almighty ever-living God, sink me firmer in you daily that I may bear the right fruits. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saturday of week 23 in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: 1 Cor. 10:14-22, Ps. 116:12-13,17-18, Luke 6:43-49).
© Rev. Fr. Evaristus Abu