Tag: Matt 7: 15-21

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.

Matt 7:15-21

REFLECTION – Could Jesus Christ, my brothers, give us more clear and more certain evidence to make us known and distinguish good Christians from the bad, than by telling us that we will know them, not in their words, but to their works. A good tree, he tells us, cannot bear bad fruits, like a bad tree cannot bear good ones. Yes, my brothers, a Christian who has only a false devotion, an affected virtue and who is only external, despite all the precautions he will take to counterfeit himself, will soon let the disturbances of his heart appear from time to time, either in his words, or in his actions. No, my brothers, there is nothing so common that these virtues be ‟apparent”, that is to say a hypocrisy. We will see at the last judgment that most Christians have only had a religion of whim or mood, that is to say, inclinations, and that very few have only sought God in what they have done.

We first say that a Christian who wants to work sincerely in his salvation, must not be content to do good works; But he still has to know who he does them for and how he should do them. Secondly, we say that it is not enough to appear virtuous in the eyes of the world, but that it is still necessary to be in the heart. If, now, my brothers, you ask me how we can know that a virtue is true and that it will lead us to heaven, my brothers, here it is: listen to it well, gravel it well in your heart; so that each action you will do, you can know if it will be rewarded in heaven. I say that for an action to please God, it must have three conditions: the first, that it is interior and perfect; the second, humble and without return to oneself; the third, both constant and persistent: if in everything you do, you will find these conditions, you are sure to work for the heavens.

St John Vianney (Sermon for the 4th Sunday after Pentecost)

PRAYER – Almighty God, to whom this world with all its goodness and beauty belongs, give us grace joyfully to begin this day in Your name and to fill it, with an active love for You and for our neighbour. Grant us the grace to repent of our sins, to turn to the Cross of Your Son and to beg Him, in His great love and suffering, to forgive us again! Mary, the Madonna of Humility, intercede for us in our weakness and help us become humble and look only at the face of Christ. Amen