A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them.”
Jesus warns the disciples to remain close to what is true in avoiding false prophets. To remain in the truth is to remain in Jesus Christ, who is truth itself. How do you recognize the false prophets—the ones in Jesus’ time and the ones of today? Jesus says you will know them not by appearances or by persona but by their fruits. “Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,” Jesus tells us, “and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.” The false prophets of Jesus’ day are not too different from the false prophets of today. Just as Jesus invites the disciples to know and remain in the truth, he also invites us each day to remain in him.
God, here I am at the start of a new day. I sit quietly in your presence, undisturbed by the many wavering voices that will compete for my attention throughout the day. Help me avoid the bad and choose the good; even better, give me the grace to remain in you through singleminded attention to your will in each moment of the day.
Thank you, God, for all your gifts. Let me remember to rest in you today as I strive to make the most of your gift of time with the work I have to do and the people I encounter. Help me remain in you as you remain in me so that I bear good fruit.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.