Homily 8th Sunday: Pilgrims bearing Good Fruit

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May All I do & All I teach give glory to God, in Jesus’ name. Amen 

Praise God! Praise be to Jesus Christ, forever and ever. 

My bonus granddaughter Lillian comes out of Children's Church last Sunday and says, “We are God’s Chosen people.”

My daughter asked, “Did you learn that in Children’s Church?”

Lillian says “No, we learned you are supposed to love those who are mean to you.”

So Sarah asked her, “How do you know we are God’s chosen people? The Bible says God’s chosen people are the people of Israel.”

Lillie answered in a matter-of-fact way, “God told me.” And she added “ They are God’s chosen people from Israel. We are God’s chosen people from Louisiana.”

 

Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you so that you might go and bear fruit.”

In this jubilee year of Hope, we are called to be Pilgrims of Hope. Pilgrims that go out and bear the fruit of Hope to those around us.

Jesus teaches, “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.” What message do we bring to the world, bad fruit or good fruit? The fruit is in what we say to others. The fruit is the examples we set for others to see and follow.

Over a century earlier, the Jewish sage Sirach shared the same message inspired in him by God. Sirach and Jesus teach this truth: the words we speak and the things that we do reveal our hidden thoughts and the secrets of our hearts. They taught this message in a lesson of everyday life. Everyday life where words and deeds are plant seeds that bear fruit in this physical world. The honesty of who we are is the fertilizer for all the fruit we bear in this world. 

The way we communicate who we are, can be compared to a sieve, a kiln, and a fruit-bearing tree. When a sieve is shaken, the husks appear, just as one's faults are revealed when one speaks or their actions. 

The fruit of a tree shows the care it received. What we say or do discloses our heart. What we share with the world is a direct reflection of our inner character. 

Like a tree bearing fruit, our words and deeds reflect the qualities we cultivate within ourselves. That is the fruit we bear. Is it bad fruit or good fruit? The fruits of the virtues of faith, hope, and love (charity) bring hope to a world that needs hope.

To know the truth of our character is like a potter's kiln testing the quality of a vessel; our conversations test our character. Our actions show who we truly are. 

Words and actions of good character have power. We should use that power to build up and uplift others. This is what it is to be Pilgrims of Hope. “For no good tree bears bad fruit, and a bad tree bear does not bear good fruit." 

It is our character that comes "out of the abundance of the heart” and Jesus says this is shown by our words and actions. He also tells is that “By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37). 

The words that come out of our mouths, the actions of our hearts matter. St. Paul reminds us that to share in God’s victory over death,“we must give our hearts and lips to what is good.”

We are in a time of change. Words and speech that come from despair and sadness can be hurtful. That same despair and sadness can unintentionally hurt ourselves and others. 

It is understandable, change is hard. Nothing was harder than what Jesus had to do.

And by his words and actions, Jesus gave hope to the world. The Hope of salvation. The Hope of eternal life, and the Hope that comes from knowing that He chose us. 

There is a saying that we reap what we sow. How true when what we say and what we do tells others who we really are. Our words and actions can build us up or tear us down. In the same way, they can build others up or tear them down as well.

Lillian was so right. We are God’s chosen people.

We are God’s chosen people not just because we are from Louisiana. Not because we are the Diocese of Shreveport. Not because we are part of Our Lady of Fatima Parish. Not because we are here at St Lawrence/CCM. 

We are God’s chosen people, because Jesus chose us for himself. We are God’s chosen people because we love even those we think that have been mean to us. We are God’s chosen people, his church.

In faith, hope, and love (charity) as God’s chosen people we choose Jesus. We choose hope. And, we are transformed by God. 

We are transformed to go and bear good fruit. Our good words and good actions are those of Pilgrims that bear good fruit in the world. 

Pilgrims of Hope even in times of change.

Friends, as Pilgrims of Hope, be good, be holy and preach the good news of Jesus Christ by the way you live your life and love one another.

Praise God! Praise be to Jesus Christ, forever and ever. Amen.