Whether we like it or not many are watching our every move, how we dress, how we speak and what we do. Why do you think Social media is so popular? Because the world can glimpse into our own personal lives and either ‘like’ or ‘dislike’ what they see. Yes unless of course we have certain privacy settings on. Regardless whether on or offline the fact remains that people are watching and it is simply a fact not some conspiracy theory. More so if you are a leader of sorts, because they hang on your every word. So then what fruits will they see? Yes they and not what we see in ourselves. For many boasts about their accomplishments though very little is actually done for the Lord and there are those who do not boast at all yet have done much in the eyes of our Lord Jesus Christ. We might think of ourselves as fruitful, though that counts for nothing unless everyone else are witnesses to the fruits we bear for our Lord.
Will they see in us our faithfulness and constant drive to be Holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy;such that it inspires them to do likewise? Or when they see the joy and peace on our faces because the joy of the Gospel is at the very centre of our lives; will they not be moved to do the same? By our loving care for the those in need spiritually or physically challenged we bring the hope and peace of Christ into their lives; are these not the fruits we bear for the Lord profess we love?
Merciful Lord and saviour You have been faithful in fulfilling all Your Promises. Let my love for You shown in the fruits I bear speak of my own faithfulness to You. Amen
First reading
Genesis 15:1-12,17-18 ·
Count the stars: such shall be your descendants
It happened that the word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.’
‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.’ And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.’ Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
‘I am the Lord’ he said to him ‘who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘how am I to know that I shall inherit it?’ He said to him, ‘Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.’ He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcases but Abram drove them off.
Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a firebrand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms:
‘To your descendants I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the river Euphrates.’
Gospel
Matthew 7:15-20
You will be able to tell them by their fruits
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.’
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