Fruits of the Good trees!

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

September 16, 2023: Celebrating Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian 

1 Timothy 1:15-17; Luke 6: 43-49

Paul calls himself the evidence of God's inexhaustible patience. Aren't we all such evidences... taking into consideration the endless opportunities we are offered to bear the right fruits at the right season.

At times people complain - why is it that people are so bad and they don't allow me to be as good as I wish to be! Today's Word answers that question... I am responsible for the fruits that are expected of me... there will surely be scores of others who will disturb, distract, discourage and disorient... but I cannot lose the direction that I am given with. I cannot blame it on others or the situation when I fail to bear the fruits that I should. However we have a God who is inexhaustible in patience. It is only the inexhaustible patience of God that can fill us with necessary endurance to make this journey possible.

We have two saints whom we celebrate today - one a Pope-Martyr, Cornelius and the other a Bishop-Martyr, Cyprian. We have three reasons to thank God today for these saints. First of all for the testimony of their martyrdom - that they lived for the Lord and died for the Lord. Second for their insistence on the Oneness of the Church - Cornelius was the first Pope to fight against a schism in the Church already in the year 251 and Cyprian wrote those beautiful lines, 'God is one and Christ is one, and his Church is one.' Thirdly, they were people who guarded the Church against the viles of the enemy - Cornelius fought against the first anti-pope in the history of the Church and Cyprian taught extensively the doctrine strengthening the faithful against straying from the truth. 

They lived, worked, suffered and died for Christ - they have left behind a great legacy as did the apostles. We are fruits of these good trees. Do we have the same goodness and faithfulness in us? We are challenged to stand for the Truth of the Lord, the Lord's people and the Lord's way of life, amidst the cries of confusion and compromise today - only then can we prove ourselves fruits of the good trees that have gone before us.