MEMORIAL ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME, SEPTEMBER 13, 2025
- Olivia M. Bannan
- Sep 12
- 2 min read
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples: "A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' but not do what I command? I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a man building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed."
REFLECTION:
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?’
The only thing that matters is your soul. There are no free passes, so we need to pay attention to the words of Jesus. Listen also to His warnings.
Why go to the doctor with your respiratory complaints but decide you think taking home remedies over an antibiotic is far better? The thinking is if we don’t get better then we rush to the emergency room or start taking the prescribed meds. Sometimes, there is no turning back because damage, decay, pus, inflammation have been allowed to grow with no checks and balances and it is too late to do the right thing. Same if we don’t take our blood pressure meds: when we get the stroke we are startled…yes, shocked, that we got the stroke. Blood pressure is still high so blood pressure meds are now taken but the stroke is now your life.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil. We must work on our hearts. Get to know God and read His Word. Build your foundation on Him, avoid that which takes you away from Him. Make your foundation strong and keep an eye on it, making repairs (going to confession, daily Mass and Holy Communion), work on being meek and humble, comfort the sick and pray the rosary daily.
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