Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 11, 2021
Jesus said to his disciples:
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?
I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,
listens to my words, and acts on them.
That one is like a man building a house,
who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;
when the flood came, the river burst against that house
but could not shake it because it had been well built.
But the one who listens and does not act
is like a person who built a house on the ground
without a foundation.
When the river burst against it,
it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”
Reflection
Children often play games and imagine being all sorts of things. Perhaps they think about what it would be like to be a lion, a puppy, or a wise owl. Jesus engages in a similar exercise today when he asks his disciples to think about what kind of tree they would be, but the options are very limited: a good tree or a rotten one!
It is something for all of us to consider. Many come to Jesus. Some listen intently to his words. Do such words, however, take root in our hearts and lead to righteous action? No matter how good the fertilizer, a rotten tree—a closed heart—simply cannot bear good fruit.
On this still painful 20th anniversary of 9/11, the words of Jesus that precede this passage unsettle the heart: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Difficult words, even for a good tree.
As an African American child, the first words of Jesus I learned were “love your enemies.” My mother used them often—for I did not want to love racist adults who regularly called me the N-word to my face. I did not want to pray for racist bullies who made biking around the block traumatic.
It was difficult at times to bear fruit in my life in the face of such treatment, and my faith is sometimes still tested by the realities of our world and even the Catholic Church today when it comes to things like racial injustice and forgiveness of those who have wronged us. On today’s anniversary, I wonder about how the families and friends of those who were lost have grappled with this latter challenge.
If we seek a lasting peace, we must live and act in right relationship to one another and to the Lord who has the words of eternal life. This is the good fruit our world hungers for today.
So what kind of tree will we be?
Prayer
Lord, you are the true foundation upon which we are meant to build our lives. Give us the faith to be able to see you and your will in our lives so that we may always build on the firm foundation of your love. May the fruits of our labor reflect the love you have for us and for all your children; may they serve as small reminders of your great care and compassion. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Hyacinth and Protus were brothers who were killed for their faith.
Tradition holds that Hyacinth and Protus were the companions of St. Eugenia. Eugenia came from a wealthy family and fled from her father's control to pursue a life devoted to God. Her father was a high ranking official in Alexandria and she escaped into the desert to live with ascetics. Hyacinth and Protus accompanied her and the three were baptized together by Helenus, the bishop of Heliopolis. The two men devoted themselves to living out the practices of early monasticism in the Egyptian desert and committed much of their time to studying sacred scripture.
Hyacinth and Protus accompanied Eugenia to Rome to spread the faith and were arrested in the mid-third century in the course of the Valerian persecutions of Christians, began by emperor Valerian and continued by his son, emperor Gallienus. They were scourged but refused to deny their faith so they were beheaded.
The tomb of Hyacinth was discovered in 1845, undisturbed, with an inscription that indicated that the martyr was buried on this date. Inside the tomb were charred bones and traces of expensive material. Relics of St. Hyacinth rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
A tomb nearby bore an inscription that indicated that it held the martyr Protus, but was empty—his relics were said to have been removed in the ninth century, and moved several times since then.
An ancient account describes these two men as brothers, Romans who were arrested and killed during a Christian persecution.
Sts. Hyacinth and Protus, brothers who gave their lives for their faith—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of Sts. Hyacinth an Protus is in the public domain. Last accessed April 2, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
