First Reading (2 Kings 22,8-13,23,1-3)
Reading of the Second Book of Kings.
In those days, the high priest Helcias said to the secretary Shaphan: “I found the book of the Law in the house of the Lord!” Helcias gave the book to Shafã, who also read it. Then the secretary Shaphan went before the king and made a report to him in these terms: “Your servants collected the money that was found in the temple and gave it to the contractors in charge of the temple of the Lord”. Then, the secretary Safã informed the king: “The priest Helcias gave me a book”. And Shaphan read it before the king. Upon hearing the words of the book of the Law, the king tore his clothes. And he commanded Helciah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achobor the son of Micah, Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king’s minister, “Go and inquire of the Lord concerning me, and concerning the people, and concerning all Judah; upon the words of this book that was found. Great must be the wrath of the Lord which was kindled against us, because our fathers did not obey the words of this book, nor put into practice all that was prescribed to us.” Then the king ordered all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to appear before him. And he went up to the temple of the Lord with all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the prophets and all the people, from the greatest to the least. He read before them the entire contents of the book of the Covenant that had been found in the house of the Lord. Standing on his dais, the king concluded the covenant before the Lord, obliging himself to follow the Lord and observe his commandments, precepts and decrees, with all his heart and with all his soul, fulfilling the words of the Covenant written in that book. And all the people joined the Covenant.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Gospel (Matthew 7,15-20)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets: They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are fierce wolves. You will know them by their fruit. nettles? So every good tree bears good fruit, and every bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. fire. Therefore you will know them by their fruits.”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, may the peace of the Lord be with you all on this blessed day. Today, we are called to reflect deeply on two powerful readings that tell us about the importance of listening to God’s voice and living according to his commandments. The first reading is from the book of Kings and the gospel of Saint Matthew. Both passages challenge us to look at our lives and the society around us with eyes of discernment and a heart full of commitment.
In the first reading, from the book of Kings, we find the figure of King Josiah, one of Israel’s great reformers. The story begins when Hilkiah, the high priest, finds the Book of the Law in the temple of the Lord. This book had been lost, forgotten, and when it is read before King Josiah, he tears his clothes as a sign of repentance. Josiah immediately understands the gravity of the situation: God’s people had strayed from his commandments, and the covenant had been broken.
Imagine for a moment that you are cleaning your home and you find an old letter from a loved one that contained words of wisdom and love that you had forgotten. When you read it, you realize how important these words were and how they could have transformed your lives if they had been remembered. This is how Josiah felt when he heard the Book of the Law. He realized that the people had strayed from the right path and that an urgent return to fidelity to God was necessary.
Josiah then summons all the people, from the simplest to the most important, and reads the book before them. In a public act of great significance, he renews his covenant with the Lord, committing himself to follow all the commandments, decrees and statutes with all his heart and all his soul. This is a time of great spiritual renewal for Israel, a return to purity of faith and obedience to God’s commandments.
Now, let’s go to the gospel of Matthew, where Jesus warns us about false prophets, those who come in sheep’s clothing, but inside they are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits,” says Jesus. He teaches us to look not just at the words someone says, but at the actions they produce. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
This teaching of Jesus invites us to deep introspection. We are called to examine the fruits of our own lives and the lives of those who lead us. In a society where appearance is often valued more than substance, where promises are easily made and just as easily broken, Jesus reminds us that the true measure of a person is in their actions and the results of those actions.
Let’s think, for example, of a fruit tree. If we plant a tree with great expectations that it will bear sweet and abundant fruit, but year after year it only produces bitter fruit, we will know something is wrong. We can try to take better care of the tree, fertilize it, water it, but if the fruits continue to be bad, we will come to the conclusion that the tree itself is bad. Likewise, in our lives, we must evaluate the fruits of our actions and discern whether we are truly living in accordance with the teachings of Christ.
Josiah, upon hearing the Book of the Law, recognized the evil fruits of disobedience and idolatry that his people had produced and took drastic measures to return to faithfulness to God. We are also called to this same seriousness and discernment in our lives. It’s easy to be fooled by pretty words and empty promises, but Jesus calls us to look deeper, to examine the fruits.
So how can we apply these lessons to our daily lives? First, we must commit to knowing the Word of God. Just as the Book of the Law was rediscovered in the temple, we must rediscover the Scriptures in our lives. Read the Bible, meditate on its words, let them guide your thoughts and actions. We often neglect to read God’s Word and, as a result, stray from His ways.
Secondly, we must constantly evaluate the fruits of our actions. Ask yourself: are my actions producing good results? Am I living according to God’s commandments? Am I contributing to building a more just and loving world? If we find bitter fruit, we must have the courage to make changes, just as Josiah did, reforming our lives and returning to faithfulness to God.
Furthermore, let us be vigilant about the leaders we follow. In the Church, in society, in our communities, we must discern whether those who guide us are really producing good fruit. Let us not be deceived by appearances or empty words. Jesus gave us a clear criterion: you will know them by their fruits.
And finally, let us be light to the world around us. May our actions, our words and our thoughts reflect the presence of Christ in our lives. Like a tree that bears good fruit, let us be a source of nourishment and joy for those around us. Let us live in such a way that our fruits testify to the goodness and love of God.
Let’s now have a moment of silence. Let us close our eyes and ask God for the grace to identify in our lives what needs to be changed. May the Holy Spirit guide us and give us strength to produce good fruits worthy of His presence within us.
Lord, we thank You for today’s lessons. Help us to live according to Your will, to use our resources fairly and generously, and to cut out everything that leads us to sin. May we be light in the world, reflecting Your love in every action and word. Amen.
My brothers and sisters, as we leave here today, let us take with us the hope and determination to live as true followers of Christ. May God’s grace accompany us and may we be instruments of His peace and love in the world. Remember, we are called to be light and salt – let us shine and flavor the world with the goodness, justice and love of God. Amen.
