Sunday, August 2, 2015

2nd August Trinity 2015, Too Dangerous

2nd August Trinity
August 2, 2015
Matthew 7:15-27

Be on your guard against false prophets of healing. They come to you in the garments of peaceful lambs, but inwardly are rapacious wolves. You shall recognize them by the fruits of their deeds. Never will you harvest grapes from a thorn bush, nor figs from thistles. Every noble tree brings forth good fruit, but a wild tree only forms unusable fruit. A noble tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a wild tree cannot form good fruit. A tree that does not bring forth good fruit will be cut down and put in the fire. Therefore, recognize them by the fruits of their deeds.

Not everyone who addresses me with “Lord! Lord!“ can be taken up into the kingdom; only he who accomplishes the will of my Father in the heavens. In the future, when the light of God breaks over the earthly darkness, many will call to me. They will say, “Lord! Lord! Have we not worked in advance for your revelation? Have we not driven out spirits of destruction in honor of you? Have we not gathered multiple powers for your word?”

Then I will freely say to them, ‘I do not know you. My paths are not your paths. Depart from me, for you serve the forces of chaos [the downfall of the world].’

Everyone who hears such words from me and acts accordingly will be like a man who wisely built his house on bedrock. The clouds burst, the waves rose, the winds blew and beat against that house. But it did not totter, for it was founded upon the rock. He, however, who hears such words from me and does not act accordingly is like a man who foolishly builds his house upon sand. The rain comes down, the floods rise, the winds blow and beat upon the house, and it collapses with a great crash.”

When Jesus had completed saying this, the people were greatly moved, for he spoke to them out of spiritual authority, as if the powers of creation themselves spoke out of him, and not like their teachers of the law [canon-lawyers].


2nd August Trinity
August 2, 2015
Matthew 7:15-27

“Every noble tree brings forth good fruit, but a wild tree only forms unusable fruit.” Matthew 7: 17

Christ suggests that we direct our attention in a somewhat scientific manner. We are to look at the results of our own and others’ actions, the consequences, rather than at the wish or the talk. In a way, it doesn’t matter much what we say about ourselves, for we can present ourselves in any way we wish. We may present ourselves as lambs, when actually the hungry wolf of vainglory is at work in us.

We can say we are working for the good, and perhaps we are. Yet often the law of unintended consequences operates. The good we would do sometimes turns out not to be so good after all. What really counts however is what results from our deeds. We look to the consequences and correct our actions.

The bitter and unusable fruits of a wild tree of soul come from self-promotion and the desire for power. Me first! The good intentions of a noble tree of soul come together from three places: from clean and clear thinking, from a loving heart, and a devotion to the progress of others. Such a soul tree will in combination produce deeds that are beautiful, sweet and nourishing, fruits that serve the world. Such fruits serve God’s kingdom of heaven on earth.

They are the bedrock of the progress of the world. Tests and trials, misfortunes and reversals will come. But we will overcome them together through our solid foundation in the world of inner and outer reality. As Hafiz says:

Out
Tissot, The Blind Leading the Blind, wiki
Of a great need
 We are all holding hands
 And climbing.
 Not loving is a letting go.
 Listen,
 The terrain around here
 Is
 Far too
 Dangerous
 For
 That.*


*Hafiz, “A Great Need". In The Gift – versions of Hafiz by Daniel Ladinsky



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