Tag: good fruit

“Do not be afraid; just have faith.” | Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me; O LORD, be my helper. You changed my mourning into dancing; O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 5:21-43)

When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

In today’s Gospel, Mark relates the account of a double miracle Jesus performs. As Jesus is on the way to the synagogue official Jairus’s house, a woman who has been suffering from a bleeding disorder approaches him. Merely touching Jesus’ cloak, she is healed immediately, and Jesus tells her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” As Jesus speaks to the woman, messengers arrive to inform them that Jairus’s daughter has died. At this, Jesus says to Jairus, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” With the father and mother before their daughter, Jesus takes her by the hand and with a word raises her from the dead. Having read this account more than once, do we feel utter astonishment as witnesses of these miracles?

God, help me reflect carefully on today’s Gospel so that it will be a means throughout the day of praising you and giving you glory. Jesus heals a woman’s chronic disorder; he raises a girl from the dead. What more can Jesus do to show compassion and to reveal to witnesses that he is the Son of God and is victorious over sin and death? And what do you require, Lord, except faith in the works you have the power and authority to accomplish? Let me ponder in reverence and awe what the Gospel acclamation says about the mission of your Son: “Our Savior Jesus Christ destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.” Give me the grace to trust in your mercy completely and know that you are with me, there to heal along the way and at my journey’s destination with the hope of eternal life. Jesus, I trust in you!

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.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

From the responsorial psalm: “The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear me and be glad. The angel of the Lord will rescue those who fear him.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 16:13-19)

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

As Jesus asks his disciples who people think he is, they give various answers, but Peter declares Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the living God. This realization, Jesus tells Peter, comes not from human understanding but from God. And Jesus declares “you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church” and that it will endure. Finally, Jesus entrusts to Peter the Kingdom of heaven, granting him authority as the head of the Church, our first pope. In the second reading, we hear Paul say, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly Kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

God, thank you for the two pillars of the Church, the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul. Thank you for the gift of faith and the promise that the Church will endure forever through the authority with which you entrusted to Peter and the leaders you have called over the ages. Both Peter and Paul suffered and were martyred for the sake of Christ and to spread the Gospel to all nations. By their example, give me the grace to learn from them and grow in faith. At the end of the day at the end of every day, let me say as Paul said, “I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us!

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.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

From the responsorial psalm: “By the streams of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. On the aspens of that land we hung up our harps. Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 8:1-4)

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

As the leper approaches Jesus, he finds immediately in the Lord the words and actions that heal him. There is a flowing correspondence between Jesus, the Lord, and the leper who wishes to be made clean. In his homage of Jesus and in stretching out his hand, the leper is in every way receptive to the Lord cleansing him of his leprosy. The result of his faith was immediate healing. Matthew does not make explicit why Jesus says to the man to tell no one, except that showing himself to the priest and offering a gift was in accordance with Mosaic law. In instructing the man to show himself to the priest, Jesus restores his place within the community; in telling him to offer a gift, he sends the man off in a spirit of gratitude. Just as much, Jesus desires us to be grateful for the sake of glory.

God, help me be grateful today for every good gift you give me. Heal me, Lord, in body and spirit so that I can go through the day cleansed of anything that would obscure my sight of you, fully aware that you guide me and will for me to remain in you. Give me the wisdom to hold to this today and always. As Saint Irenaeus said, “Faith is established upon things truly real, that we may believe what really is, as it is. And believing what really is, as it is, we may always keep our conviction of it firm.” Saint Irenaeus, pray for us!

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.

Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; Deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 7:21-29)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of mine but does not act on them will be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”

Continuing from yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the disciples what it means to do the will of the Father. Referring to false prophets, Jesus says of them, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” The miraculous works of the false prophets—prophesying in the Lord’s name, driving out demons—are not in themselves the measure of faith but instead one built on sincerely hearing and doing the will of the Father.

God, help me today as I strive to know and do your will, and give me the grace to be genuine in my relationship with you. I hear in the Gospel acclamation “Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.” Help me live out my faith in truth and in a way that is pleasing to you.

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.

“So by their fruits you will know them.” | Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

From the responsorial psalm: “Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain: by your way give me life. Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 7:15-20)

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. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.”

Jesus continues to teach his disciples about the way to the Father. Warning them to avoid false profits, he identifies them to the disciples as the ones who bear rotten fruit. “A good tree,” he says, “cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.” In two ways, from the source and by their words and actions, false prophets identify themselves. By this, Jesus teaches us to avoid them and to remain in him to bear good fruit.

God, help me discern the thistles and thorn bushes I come across today, the voices that would lead me away from you into a place of discord and confusion. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down,” Jesus says, “and thrown into the fire. So by their fruits you will know them.” Give me the grace, Lord, to be drawn to what is good and also to remain in you through my words and actions.

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.

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to Peter: “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

In today’s Gospel, Matthew describes the moment when Jesus chooses Peter as the first pope of the Catholic Church. From the second reading, Paul himself speaks of his apostleship in proclaiming the Gospel: “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.” Both of these great apostles cooperated with God’s grace to strengthen them, and both were martyred. Just as Mary said yes to the Lord during the annunciation, Peter and Paul said yes in different ways, which shaped the Church that remains today and which the gates of the netherworld will never prevail against.

God, these giants of the early Church martyred long ago for love of you now pray for your Church before you in heaven. Rather than see them as unapproachable because of their greatness, I ask for them to intercede for me for your grace to compete well in this life and finish the race alive in faith that will bring me to eternal life. Rescue me, Lord, from the threats of this life—great and small. Under your care and longing for you always, may the prayers of Saints Peter and Paul one day bring me to you safe in your heavenly kingdom.

From the responsorial psalm: “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.” Saints Peter and Paul, pray for us!

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.

Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

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.