Eighth Sunday after Trinity

At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus exhorts us to make a choice between life and death, heavenly glory, and eternal damnation. Jesus says: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

After this, Jesus warns us about false prophets, whose goal is exactly the opposite of Jesus’: they want to tempt us into the broad way, the way of death and destruction.

Recognizing false prophets is not easy: they can appear nice and innocent; they speak beautiful words that sound as if they came directly from the mouth of God himself; they even perform great miracles. The world is full of false prophets – and more than in religious institutions, they are active today in entertainment, technology, media, politics, even science…

Jesus says about false prophets: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

How to recognize false prophets? The only way to do this is: “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” Anything that helps us find Christ and brings us closer to God is good. Anything that takes us away from God is evil – no matter how tempting and delicious it may seem to our fallen nature. Let us therefore always remember what St. Paul says: “If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.”