By Their Fruits, You Shall Know Them.

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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