Reflection on the Gospel – Wednesday, June 25, 2025

To Bear Good Fruit

It’s clear that not everything is as it seems.
While we shouldn’t live with constant suspicion—always doubting anything that looks good, which would only isolate us and destroy our ability to trust—we also shouldn’t be naïve.

Since good attracts and evil repels, it’s common for people with bad intentions to hide them by covering themselves with the appearance of goodness.
That’s why Jesus warns us about false prophets, especially those who operate in the realm of religion.
But the truth is, these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” exist in every area of life: in business, politics, friendships—even in families.

Jesus not only warns us, but also gives us a way to tell the difference:

We recognize the quality of the roots by their fruits.
The consequences of actions reveal hidden and disguised intentions.

But this principle of discernment isn’t just for others—it’s also for ourselves.
We can (and should) use it to examine our own lives:
Are we producing good fruit or bad?

Most likely, we’ll find a mix—some good, some not so good—because none of us is perfect.
But Jesus calls us to bear only good fruit.
So how do we do that?

We need to work on the roots.
That means taking a close look at our core values—not just the ones we say we believe in, but the ones that really move our hearts.
And not just examining them, but also nourishing, healing, and strengthening them so that they can produce good fruit.

Abraham gives us a great example.
The first and most important condition is trust.
We must believe in God’s promises and welcome His Word—Christ Himself.

Then, grounded in that trust, we must take action.
We do what’s in our power to do.
Abraham prepared the sacrifice and protected it from the vultures.

But in the end, good fruit—fruit that brings love and eternal life—is God’s work.
He receives and brings to fulfillment the offerings we prepare with goodwill.

The good fruits God calls us to are the result of a cooperation between our freedom and God’s grace.
As the liturgy of priestly ordination says, quoting Philippians 1:6:

“The One who began this good work in you will bring it to completion.”