DAILY HOMILIES #good tree

Jesus said, “By their fruits, we shall know them.” This does not only apply to persons in religious circles. One does not need to write “engineer” on their forehead to be known as one; they only need to produce engineering works. What do we make of an “author” who has never written a single page? How do we say one is an accountant if they cannot handle financial records? You do not need to announce yourself to anyone; let your actions speak for themselves.

Our actions, like fruits, are the consequences of the tree that grows in us (our thoughts and desires). Do you want your life to produce good fruits? Start by sincerely examining your conscience. To pull out a tree, you must acknowledge its presence. Sometimes, we judge others, yet when faced with the same temptations, we do worse than those we condemn.

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?”