Word to the Wise
Wednesday, June 28, 2023 - Wednesday in the 12th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 15:1-12, 17-18 and Matt 7:15-20,997]"By their fruits you will know them." [Matthew]
JUNE 28 ST. IRENAEUS, bishop and martyr
Some phrases in the Bible find their way into common speech and the line, "By their fruits you will know them" is one of those. But, it can be difficult to discern the character of an individual if we judge only by physical accomplishments and appearances. This is the problem posed by wolves in sheep's clothing. The images of grapes from thornbushes and figs from thistles are easy enough to discern. But false prophets with charismatic personalities fill the pages of religious history. The early Christian community struggled with the diversity of preachers, as St. Paul lamented. Some of these "false prophets" were sincere in their beliefs, especially those who were convinced that adherence to Mosaic law was necessary for Christian identity!! But, their fruits were divisive.
Within our own Catholic church, the scripture, Tradition and the authority of the papacy are the ultimate judges of the trees and the fruits. Keeping those criteria in mind can help us determine whether or not a given charismatic religious personality is worthy of our attention. AMEN