Be Fruit Inspector

September 16, Saturday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs
Daily Readings: 1 Timothy 1:15–17; Luke 6:43–49

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.” (Luke 6:43)

It is generally difficult to distinguish between a wild plant and a cultivated one before they start to produce fruits. In today's Gospel Jesus uses the examples of a good tree and an evil tree. The wild ones are similar to the cultivated varieties, but the fruits show the difference between them.

In the human sphere, false prophets appear to be like the true ones because they also preach love and mercy, are meek and gentle, and quote scripture.

In today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us that distinguishing a true prophet from a false one is necessary in spiritual life, as false prophets or evil people can misguide us from God's ways.

Firstly, true prophets are not Doomsayers. They are not fundamental predictors of the future, but they can warn people of the consequences of their sins. The primary responsibility of a true prophet is to speak on behalf of God to his contemporaries.

Secondly, true prophets are not compromisers. A false prophet might compromise or try to please audiences, whereas true prophets do not compromise even up to the loss of life as spokespersons of God, just as in the example of John the Baptist, who had to sacrifice his life for his uncompromising witness to the truth.

Thirdly, True prophets are not personality cultists. A true prophet always leads people to God and not to himself. Popularity and human glory are not his driving forces.

Please don't let the preachers and evangelists on television and the radio who are personality cultists, radio doomsayers, and compromisers mislead you.

It is important that we strive to be effective fruit inspectors in spiritual life, as false prophets and evil people can misguide us from God's ways of salvation. Amen.