“Today’s actions are tomorrow’s habits.”

Today we hear the third part of Jesus’ Sermon on the plain taken from the 6^th chapter of Luke’s gospel.

Two weeks ago we heard the “Blessed ares” and the “Woe To’s.” (You can find this on page 72).

Last weekend Jesus told us to “love our enemies” and “stop judging and condemning.” (You can find this on page 75).

Today’s passage begins with another familiar teaching. Jesus reminds us to remove the wooden beam from our own eye before attempting to take the splinter out of the eye of someone else.

The next line however, is the one that caught and captured my attention.

“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, 

nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.”

                                                                                   Luke 6:43

This verse has caused me to consider the fruit of my life’s actions. Some of this fruit is good. Then again, some is not. (Yes Lord, some has been rotten.) 

What does this say about me?  More importantly; “How do I respond to Jesus’ challenge?” 

Two things come to mind.  The first was the line from today’s offertory song: “We till the earth, we tend the ground.”   Unlike trees, you and I have some control over the fruit we produce.  The second was a fortune that I recently obtained with my lunch special #14 .  You’ll find it at the very top of this article.

Perhaps this is a good reminder with the Lenten season beginning this Wednesday.  Here is a portion of what the United States Council of Bishops “Pastoral Statement on Penance and Abstinence.”  You can find it at http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/liturgical-year/lent/us-bishops-pastoral-statement-on-penance-and-abstinence.cfm.

(14) For all other weekdays of Lent, we strongly recommend participation in daily Mass and a self-imposed observance of fasting. In the light of grave human needs which weigh on the Christian conscience in all seasons, we urge, particularly during Lent, generosity to local, national, and world programs of sharing of all things needed to translate our duty to penance into a means of implementing the right of the poor to their part in our abundance. We also recommend spiritual studies, beginning with the Scriptures as well as the traditional Lenten Devotions (sermons, Stations of the Cross, and the rosary), and all the self-denial summed up in the Christian concept of "mortification."

Blessed to be in ministry at St. Mary’s,

Bruce