A reflection on bearing good fruits from hearing God’s word.
For the last couple of weeks, our daily readings have been from the second Book of Kings, which reminds me of the story books of my youth. The characters are so colorful and real; there are the honest ones and then there are the wicked rascals! This book would make a great TV series!
In today’s excerpt we hear about the book of the law being found in the temple by the priest Hilkiah, who gave it to Shaphan the scribe to read. The Book of the Law, also known as the Pentateuch, is the first five books of the Old Testament. It was likely a copy that was meant to be kept in the temple, next to the ark of the covenant in the holy of holies.
At that time, Josiah was the King of Israel, and he was a righteous man. After the scribe Shaphan had finished reading it, he approached the king and informed him about the book of the law, and then proceeded to read it aloud to the king.
A King’s Penitent Response
On hearing the contents of the book, King Josiah tore his garments and summoned the members of his court, including Hilkiah the priest. He had come to the realization that God was angry with the people of Judah for not obeying his laws, and King Josiah issued a command to the priest to consult the Lord on his behalf. He further summoned all the elders of Judah and together with the inhabitants of Jerusalem, they all went up to the temple of the Lord, and the entire contents of the book of the covenant were read aloud to the King and the entire crowd. Following this, the King then made a covenant before the Lord that he and all the people would observe all of God’s ordinances, statutes and decrees with their whole hearts and souls.
What an amazing conversion the king displayed, and such resolve in repenting. As Catholics, we are so blessed to have the entire Bible within our grasp, and to be able to hear God’s word proclaimed every time we attend Mass. It is said that if we attend Mass on a daily basis, after 3 years we would have covered the entire Bible! Not that we only have to hear God’s word in church during Mass; the entire Bible is available to us, to read from cover to cover, if we so choose. And now, in our digital age, the Bible can be downloaded onto our phones, tablets, and computers, and we can even hear it in audio book form.
God’s Word is Timeless
I do take advantage of the privilege of attending daily Mass, which is a great opportunity to be fed in mind, body, and soul. For the last few years, I have had a couple of intentions that I have presented to the Lord, and it is so amazing to me to hear God speak to me through His word in the scripture readings as well as through the homilies of various priests. He repeatedly tells me to wait, He has something great in mind, and that I have to be patient. When we read or hear Scripture with an open heart, God himself speaks to us. We just have to be attentive to it. The Holy Spirit brings the words to life for us, just as he did for King Josiah.
The Holy Bible is timeless. If you listen to the readings with an attentive heart, the same message is meant for us today as it was for the early Christians thousands of years ago. As mere mortal beings, frail earthen vessels, we behave not much differently than our ancestors. While love and justice are at the forefront, revenge, jealousy, and anger linger not far behind.
“Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord. Whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.”
This is the Gospel acclamation which is further clarified in Jesus’ words in the gospel: “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.”
Being Good Fruit
Living in California, we have an abundance of produce, with beautiful fruits of all colors, shapes, sizes, and textures. As God’s children, we must look like a giant fruit stand to the Lord – all sizes, shapes, and colors. Yet, each of us is unique and special to the Lord; there is no one else in the entire world just like us.
Try with all your heart, to be a “good fruit,” living a life of virtue and goodness, because people all around you are watching. May you radiate God’s love to all around you in the hope of being the magnet that draws them closer to God our loving Father.
In the words of Fr. Jude Eli, a Dominican priest who visits our parish often, when he finishes his homily, always ends with:
“May the word of God, rich as it is, dwell within our hearts this day.”
[Readings: 2 Kgs 22:8-13; 23:1-3; Mt 7:15-20]
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