Every tree is known by its fruit: Commentary by Fr. Jorge Miró

Fr. Jorge Miró shares with Exaudi readers his commentary on the Gospel of this Sunday, March 2, 2025, entitled “Every tree is known by its fruit.”

***

Faith is not a theory that is learned, but a life that is enjoyed; a life in the Spirit, which transforms the heart of the person and manifests itself in works: A faith without works is a dead faith. Works – counting on weakness – are not the cause of salvation, but they are the sign of the authenticity of faith (cf. Gal 5 and Mt 25, 31ff.), of welcoming salvation.

Today’s Word tells us: there is no good tree that bears bad fruit, nor a bad tree that bears good fruit; Therefore, every tree is known by its fruit… out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks…

The Lord invites you to examine your life and the fruits that spring forth from it… To see if you live in blessing, gratitude, and praise, signs that the risen Jesus Christ lives in you, and you are open to his Spirit. Or if, on the contrary, you live in permanent complaint and murmuring, signs of a heart that lives in a solitude filled with howls (cf. Dt 32).

If you are allowing the Holy Spirit to act in your heart, his fruits will appear: love, joy, peace, patience, affability, kindness, loyalty, modesty, self-control. Against these things there is no law. And those who are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with passions and desires (cf. Gal 5:22-24).

Because Christian life is not reduced to a series of external acts without a true conversion of the heart having taken place.

If our heart does not change, we will end up being like the hypocritical Pharisees who demanded from others what they were not willing to live. That is why Jesus tells us in the Gospel: Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye and not notice the log in your own eye?

The Word seriously invites us to conversion because the spirit of Pharisaism easily falls upon us and traps us.

When do we fall into Pharisaism?

When you stay in the mere fulfillment of the law and do not go to the bottom of being a disciple: leaving everything to follow Jesus, to live in his will and not yours.

When you think you are better than others, and you live judging and condemning, instead of looking at the other, as the Lord looks at him: from the truth, but with mercy: not to destroy or humiliate, but to welcome, encourage and heal.

When you believe that “you” are saved by your strength and “your” merits, despising the grace of God.

When you live in hypocrisy: not in the incoherence of weakness (I want to, but I can’t), which leads you to humility and to confess your sins; but in the duplicity of not wanting to, but pretending, which leads you to hardening of heart.

When you seek your glory and not God’s. And that’s why you go begging for recognition, for the top positions…

Don’t be afraid if you see this appearing in your heart. But don’t let it settle in it! Call upon the Holy Spirit! Ask Him for a new heart that seeks only to live in the will of God.

Come, Holy Spirit!