From the Tree to the Personal Spiritual Life

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season: Twelfth Week : Wednesday*

*Gospel : Mt 7:15-20*

*First Reading : 2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3*

*From the Tree to the Personal Spiritual Life*

*1) Lesson from the Nature*

*Nature is the Revelation of God* Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

*My profession is to always find God in nature.* - Henry David Thoreau

*I've always regarded nature as the clothing of God.* - Alan Hovhaness

These few quotes tell us that nature is one of the beautiful creations of God, from which we can learn lots of lessons for our spiritual life 

*2) Jesus on Tree*

In today's Gospel Jesus speaks about two types of trees from the Nature 

A good tree and the bad tree. 

Good tree always bears good fruit and bad tree always produces bad fruit 

Good tree can't bear bad fruit and bad tree can't produce good fruit. 

This is the law of the nature 

By fruit one can know the nature of the tree

*3) Examples from nature easy to understand*

Jesus gives us many examples from the nature while explaining the Kingdom of God

These examples are very easy to understand since we can see these things in practical way in and around us 

So we understand the message from the nature clearly

*4) Comparison between tree and Our life*

Jesus draws a beautiful analogy between our life and the tree which produces the Fruit in the nature 

Jesus compares the false prophets to bad trees which produces the bad  fruit 

Jesus compares the good prophets to the good trees which produces the good fruit 

By the fruits the tree is known. Likewise by the fruits a prophet is known 

*5) Appearances are deceptive*

This is the strong message which Jesus is giving us today 

We need to make a difference between the appearance of the tree and the fruit 

Most important is the fruit and not the appearance. 

A tree may or may not look beautiful but if the fruit is good, such trees are called good trees. So fruit is very important 

Likewise one can't judge a person from his/her appearance, but only from the fruits one needs to be judged. 

*6) Good prophet with Good Fruit*

There is no duplicity

There is no hidden motives 

There is no selfish interests

There is no craving for money, publicity, name, fame, position, power, authority, wealth and material things 

The fruits of the good prophets are 

Service

Love

Generosity

Simplicity

Forgiveness

Gentleness

Humility

Sacrifice

Sharing 

Wishing good for others 

Working for peace and justice 

What are my fruits?

How is I known to the others? 

What are the fruits people see in my life? 

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*