Wednesday, June 26, By their fruits you will know them.

Wednesday, June 26, By their fruits you will know them.

The Holy Spirit inspired our blog.

Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus said to his disciples:

“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.”

Emphasis mine: Matthew 7: 15-20

We just did some quick research and found out that the word fruit is mentioned sixty times in the New Testament, and the Fruit of the Spirit is mentioned once.

That one time changed my life. I was reading Galatians 5: 22-23, and the Holy Spirit asked me if I wanted more Peace.

I, yes, I said Yes!

Then the Holy Spirit told me to learn and pray the “Nine” Fruit of The Holy Spirit.

I thought Easy.

So I wrote the Nine Fruit of The Holy Spirit down and prayed the “Nine” every day.

Within a week, I noticed I had more self-control and Peace, which was badly needed.

Some of you may be thinking we have said all of this before, move on.

Sunday, we, yes, we. I hated the above “I’s,” but that is where my now-our life was at that time. Anyway, we were doing a Communion Service at the V.A., which we hold every third Sunday of the month.

Diane was missing from our service, I asked and found out her unit had been locked down because of some disease.  We asked if we could bring her communion, and they asked are you sure?  We said yes, we had prayed Psalm 91, I put on a mask, praying Psalm 91 doesn’t mean one should be stupid, went down and saw Diane.

(Notice the Timing) The Month before we had challenged the patients to learn the “Nine,” and if they did I would give them a copy of Psalm 91 Military Version.

Diane’s unit was in lockdown, and because of the lockdown, we would have to meet in her room as opposed with the group at the Communion service.  God working in her life. Now we could really talk about the “Nine” and learn through many questions what she experienced this past week, which we couldn’t do in the group.

Dianne said:

1. She was too old and couldn’t learn the “Nine.” Well to her surprise, Joy, she did.
2. For the first time in many years, she was sleeping much better at night. (Peace)
3. She was filled with Joy, which she didn’t realize until we pointed it out to her.
4. She asked, Why didn’t they tell her about this earlier in her life? I, yes I have the same question.

We then suggested she go out into the unit and preach the Gospel by positively interacting with others, patients and staff. God the Father has Dianne there for a reason, and that reason is to preach the Gospel, and sometimes, as a last resort, one must use words.

We found Dianne always Joyful, Unconscious Competent. Now, she knows how to increase her Joy, Conscious Competent, through Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control, which we encouraged her to share with other patients and staff.

So by their fruits, Love, Joy, and Peace, you will know them.”

A prayer you might consider learning

Lord, my heart is not proud;

    nor are my eyes haughty.

I do not busy myself with great matters,

    with things too sublime for me.

Rather, I have stilled my soul,

Like a weaned child to its mother,

    weaned is my soul.

I hope in the Lord,

    now and forever.

Psalm 131

We changed Israel to I to make the prayer more personal.

We highlighted the last two lines for that is my daily prayer, that I will continue to HOPE in the Lord now and forever.

Sidebar:

We don’t know about you, but Gail and I pray to Saint Anthony when we lose something, and within a short period of time, it usually find it.

I had never heard the story about St. Anthony and the mule, so when Reverend Alex Boucher told the story at Mass one day, we had to pass it along.

It’s the 13th Century, and St. Anthony truly believes Jesus is present in the Eucharist.

Bononillo, a prominent citizen didn’t share St. Anthony’s belief and openly mocked St. Anthony.

St. Anthony challenged Bononillo to a test.

“If the mule you ride adored the Body of Christ in the Eucharist, would you believe in the truth of the Blessed Sacrament?” 

Bononillo agreed.

He starved his mule for three days, while St. Anthony fasted for three days.

On the day of the test, the mule was brought out, and a bail of hay was placed under the mule’s nose. 

St. Anthony stood a short distance away holding the Holy Eucharist.

Defying all odds, the mule turned his head and walked over to Saint Anthony. When the mule was close, the animal bent his front legs and kneeled in adoration! 

When Bononillo saw this miraculous change of events, he immediately knelt down and professed his belief in the truth of the Real Presence.

aleteia.org/2017/06/13/st-anthony-and-the-mule-who-knelt-down-before-the-eucharist

How about you?

When you walk down to receive the Holy Eucharist, are you filled with Joy that you will be touching GOD, Jesus, and are invited into a dance, NOT as an onlooker but as a participant?

Picture:

A picture of majestic Mount Ranier in Washington with a lake and a strand of pines in the foreground. Picture by Jerry Torres

 Please keep Snapping!

If you want a copy of the prayers we discussed, email me.

fprince101@gmail.com

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