Daily Gospel Reflection
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June 22, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, 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.”
Today, the Gospel of Matthew speaks about false prophets and the false fruit they offer. While scholars debate who these false prophets might be, it’s clear that this passage speaks against hypocrisy—those who appear to be something they are not, saying one thing and doing another.
Jesus is calling all to coherence between the inner self and our outer behavior. Both words and deeds should reflect the true nature of the one who speaks and acts.
As we ponder Christ’s warning to be aware of the false prophets, I believe we must think critically of emerging socio-political movements in our own time that claim to restore a divinely inspired order. If we look closely, we notice that certain waves of religious nationalism in many countries have become disconnected from the fruits of joy, hospitality, peace, justice, and neighborly love.
It is vital as followers of Christ to distinguish carefully between the cultural identity of a nation, the authority of the state, and the religious traditions of its citizens. Much of Jesus’ life and teachings created tension with religious leaders and challenged the authority of the Roman empire. We must be careful not to conflate an intemperate patriotism for an active faith, personal religious practice for robust public policy, or armament as an expression of discipleship.
Those not caught up in this upswell might be quick to point the finger at others who seem to offer false fruit, but scholars of religion point out we all have dissonance between our espoused theology (what we say we believe) and our lived theology (what we live out).
What do we say we believe? How does it differ from what we live? What might it mean to align these two? Today, let us invite God to show us how the actions of our lives can reflect our inner values.
Prayer
Holy Spirit of God, help us discern wisely so that we might recognize you in all your manifestations and not be deceived by false prophets. Free us from all pretense and deceptiveness. Help us too, dear God, to represent you truly in our dealings with others, so that they might not be deceived and will see in us your love, truth, and deep care. May we always be who you created us to be—your image and likeness. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More were both killed for standing against the king of England in a dispute that began with the indissolubility of marriage and ended with the rights of the Church. John Fisher was a bishop and Thomas More was a married layman with children.
John Fisher was born in 1469 and attended Cambridge University. He was a bright student, and rose quickly in his studies; he was ordained a priest at the early age of 22. He served as spiritual director to the king’s mother, and helped her distribute her fortune to help the poor and advance learning at Cambridge.
When he was 35, he was named chancellor of Cambridge and bishop of Rochester, and had a stellar career as a man of great learning who demonstrated compassion for the people under his care. He opposed Lutheranism when it started to spread in London, and was one of the first to respond to Luther’s claims in scholarly writing.
Thomas More was born in 1478 and studied at Oxford. He, too, was a brilliant student who advanced at a young age—he was admitted to the bar at the age of 23 and entered Parliament three years later.
At various times, Thomas wondered if he was called to the religious life of a monk or priest, but never found confidence in the idea, and so he took it as a sign that he was called to marriage. He married a woman named Jane and they had four children together.
Thomas was promoted within the government because of his intellect and wisdom—he could put people at ease, but also had sharp judgment; people in power relied on his advice. In 1529, More was named lord chancellor to the king, but just as his career was blossoming, his wife died. Having four children to care for, he re-married quickly, finding a widow to help manage his household.
This was the life-situation of these two men of God when King Henry VIII sought to divorce from his marriage to Catherine of Aragon and take as his new wife Anne Boleyn. Bishop John Fisher represented Catherine in the divorce proceedings; knowing full well that his actions infuriated Henry, he refused to be intimidated.
Thomas upheld the validity of Henry’s marriage to Catherine, but refused to state his opinion on the matter publicly every time he was asked, even before the court. He resigned as chancellor, which cast his family into poverty because he lost his salary.
Pressing the matter, King Henry demanded oaths be taken by everyone that declared the legitimacy of his marriage to Anne Boleyn and renounced any other authority as legitimate in the matter (i.e., the Church’s). In 1534, the oath was offered to both John and Thomas, and both refused to swear by it.
Both men were imprisoned in the Tower of London for months and months. John was in his 60s, and the harsh treatment aged him considerably; Thomas fared little better.
They were sentenced to death by beheading. On June 22, guards woke John, who had been recently named a cardinal by Pope Paul III, at five in the morning to tell him that he was to be killed at nine. He slept two more hours, then carried himself to the place of execution and prayed before setting his head on the chopping block. His head was hung from the London Tower for two weeks, when it was removed to make room for Thomas’.
Thomas also walked to the scaffold under his own power, joking with onlookers and praying for those who were to kill him. He declared himself “the king’s servant—but God’s first” before being beheaded.
Both men were recognized for diligently crafting a keen conscience and following it, no matter the cost. This was a lifelong task that only manifested in their final decision. It is said that had they not been martyred, they would still be honored as saints because of the way they carried themselves and served the Church and their countrymen.
St. Thomas More is patron saint of lawyers, and his statue stands near the west entrance to the Biolchini Hall of Law. He is also shown in a stained glass window in the chapel of that building; his relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. St. John Fisher is depicted in the painting above (which is in the public domain). They are honored together today, on the date of John’s martyrdom. To date, John remains the only cardinal who was also a martyr.
Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More, you both crafted a keen conscience and paid with your lives to follow it—pray for us!
To learn even more about St. Thomas More, watch this video lecture from the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame.
Image Credit: (2) Our featured image of St. John Fisher is in the public domain. Last accessed March 11, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
