I will love them with all my heart, for my anger has turned from them.
When I was in College my Economics professors would always start a principle by saying, “Let us assume” and then he or she would go off in many theoretical directions that I still have trouble understanding to expand our world of knowledge. In our Gospel Jesus is teaching about the mind of God and what is the basis of the Commandments. Teaching was the basis of Jesus ministry. The scribe who answers must have been a very good person. He tries and so do we.
Do we love the Lord our God with our whole heart? We of course answer yes, but do we? We love others as ourselves, but do we? What if we say one thing and do another? Sunday’s Gospel about the fig tree and bearing fruit. What do we actually do? Matthew 7:15-19 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. So, by their fruits you will know them.
What are your assumptions and what do you do?
Jesus is not asking us to figure out who is a ravenous wolf. It will be obvious by their fruit. He is saying that to be productive we have to make sure we are producing good fruit and genuinely Love the Lord and our neighbor. So, all this revolves around the fact that we actually believe and act on our “assumptions”.
The following quote always puzzled me, Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him anymore. I would have been the first to ask a question.
Romans 14:13-19 Then let us no longer judge one another but rather resolve never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; still, it is unclean for someone who thinks it unclean. If your brother is being hurt by what you eat, your conduct is no longer in accord with love. Do not because of your food destroy him for whom Christ died. So do not let your good be reviled. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Spirit; whoever serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by others. Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another.
So when we examine our conscience today, keep this in mind.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray especially hard for our Pontiff, Pope Francis who may be doing better now. Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace! It looks like the impossible could happen. Never deny God.
