Homily
for June 28, 2017
The difference between a
good tree and a bad one is not in its shape, size, age or colour. Rather, it is
in the nature of the fruits it produces. A tree may appear very nice on the
outside but if it bears rotten fruits, then it is good for nothing but to be
cut down and used as firewood.
Bearing fruits is not a
function of the external appearance but the internals; away from the sight of
ordinary human eyes. So also, in every person, bearing fruits is a function of
the mind; a place hidden from sight. No one knows or sees what is in another
person’s mind but God alone. Hence, it is easy to pretend, it is easy to
deceive others; it is easy to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
However, no matter how much
we pretend to be who we are not, our fruits will eventually sell us out. No
matter how much we try to deceive others, our fruits can never be higher than what
goes on inside our minds.
Being Christian is not a
matter of looking good before others, it is a matter of spirit and truth. As
Jesus told the Samaritan woman: “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father
seeks to worship him.” John 4:23.
The bitter truth is that a
large percentage of Christians today are Christian only by name. Deep down
within us, we are simply secular and worldly minded. We care more about prosperity,
good food, health, security and pleasure than the things of God. No wonder, the
level of immorality and evil amongst Christians today is outrageous.
As someone once said, the
only reason why Islam seems to be succeeding in Islamizing Nigeria is because we
Christians are not trying to Christianize Nigeria. We Christians have so much
lost our values that we lack the zeal and courage to defend our faith.
The truth is that Islam may
as well succeed not because it makes use of terror, but because we who claim to
be Christians have long stopped being Christians. In the craze for material
prosperity, we have been bearing too much smelling and rotten fruits that it
seems God is tired of us. We are now being cut down to be used as firewood.
Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, free
me from self-deception. May my worship of God be pure and sincere. Amen.
St. Irenaeus, pray for us.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Wednesday of the 12th Week
in Ordinary time. Bible Study: Genesis 15:1-12.17-18 and Matthew 7:15-20).
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