HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF 12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME. (2)

HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY OF 12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME.

THEME: SOUND TREE & SOUND FRUIT!

BY: Benedict Agbo (Rev Fr)

*Gen 15: 1 – 18, Matt 7: 15 – 20.

Abraham remains one of the best fruits of the Old Testament Judaic religion/ spirituality. In him was a perfect combination of the virtues of faith and knowledge, wealth and charity, fortitude and patience. God’s primitive covenant with Abraham, as we find in today’s 1st reading was sealed with the blood of animals. He, Abraham, believed in God’s promises and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Yet, he asked an intelligent question: ‘How am I to know that I shall possess it?’ Just like Mary’s question to Angel Gabriel, God confirmed his faith into knowledge through the miraculous sacrifice and the blood covenant with 5 animals. Abraham remained steadfast till the end. He bore the first fruits of sound faith through a perfect combination of philosophical and theological knowledge.

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In today’s gospel, Jesus wants us to critically / philosophically watch out for sound fruits of knowledge and faith rather than be carried away by fake prophetic signs. He knew that the greatest confusion of the future generation of Christians were to be caused by false prophets. Here we are today in countries like Nigeria, with millions of churches but with zero level of morality and discipline. Is it not time for Christians to go back to the drawing board and take the words of Christ even more seriously: ‘Beware of false prophets… You will come to know them by their fruits; fruits of materialism, deceit, indiscipline, immorality and inconsistency. The fruits of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self control, Gal 5: 22) are more important than the gifts of the Holy Spirit (wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophesy, discernment, tongues…1 Cor 12: 8 – 11). Many of us ‘Charismatics’ and ‘Pentecostals’ do not realize this. Do not be deceived by people’s spiritual gifts. Judge them by their fruits before you surrender your souls and your hard earned money to them! Only a sound tree can bear a sound fruit but a fake man can have a fake gift. May God bless you today!

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