Good Trees and Good Fruit

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today warn us that our distraction by idols that lead us away from faith and truth will contradict our mission as siblings of Jesus.

Fruit of the Good Tree

The Reading from the First Letter of Paul to Corinthians is a warning against Idolatry.

* [10:14–22] The warning against idolatry from 1 Cor 10:7 is now repeated (1 Cor 10:14) and explained in terms of the effect of sacrifices: all sacrifices, Christian (1 Cor 10:16–17), Jewish (1 Cor 10:18), or pagan (1 Cor 10:20), establish communion. But communion with Christ is exclusive, incompatible with any other such communion (1 Cor 10:21). Compare the line of reasoning at 1 Cor 6:15.

* [10:20] To demons: although Jews denied divinity to pagan gods, they often believed that there was some nondivine reality behind the idols, such as the dead, or angels, or demons. The explanation Paul offers in 1 Cor 10:20 is drawn from Dt 32:17: the power behind the idols, with which the pagans commune, consists of demonic powers hostile to God.

* [10:23–11:1] By way of peroration Paul returns to the opening situation (1 Cor 8) and draws conclusions based on the intervening considerations (1 Cor 9–10). (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 116 proclaims divine rescue from near despair with vows and Temple sacrifices.

* [Psalm 116] A thanksgiving in which the psalmist responds to divine rescue from mortal danger (Ps 116:3–4) and from near despair (Ps 116:10–11) with vows and Temple sacrifices (Ps 116:13–14, 17–19). The Greek and Latin versions divide the Psalm into two parts: Ps 116:1–9 and Ps 116:10–19, corresponding to its two major divisions. (Psalms, PSALM 116 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus declares a Tree is Known by Its Fruit and cites The Two Foundations.

* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity. (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Angela Maynard reflects on the readings. It seems that this goes nicely with the parable of the healthy trees and vines. We must not only listen to God’s words, but ACT on them. If we do this, we will have strength that cannot be shaken.

 It seems to me that we will have everything we need to make good decisions that aren’t harmful. We will have the ability to care for others and live with kindness.

Take time to consider other perspective on issues, think about who could be impacted by my actions. How would I like to be treated? Pray for guidance. Consult your committee. Finally, what would Jesus do? (Maynard, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Scripture is the field where we build our house,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"In a certain place in the Gospel, the Lord says that the wise hearer of his word ought to be like a man who, wishing to build, digs rather deeply until he comes to bedrock. There without anxiety he establishes what he builds against the onrush of a flood, so that when it comes, rather it may be pushed back by the solidity of the building than that house collapse by the impact. Let us consider the Scripture of God as being a field where we want to build something. Let us not be lazy or content with the surface. Let us dig more deeply until we come to rock: 'Now the rock was Christ' (1 Corinthians 10:4)." (excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 23.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for today. Paul tackles treatment of idols in the First Letter to the Corinthians. In the society of the time sacrifice to an idol was often part of a working guild. Christians could not participate because we receive the Body and Blood of Christ. Paul earlier declared idols are really demons. Christians cannot be uniting to demonic forces. In the Gospel of Luke, we hear the good trees produce good fruit. We can know by their fruit if people blog to Christ. Friar Jude reminds us that we should live like we do belong to Christ as he relates the story of the rude driver being pulled over by the police because the Christian bumper stickers on the car suggested that it might have been stolen.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Psalm 116:12-13, 17-18 invites us to consider all that Jesus has done for us, how grateful should we be? Like the psalmist, we can offer concrete acts of thanksgiving to the Lord. Through our worship, prayer, and obedience, we can begin to “make a return” to him.

Every day holds many opportunities to make a return to the Lord for the good he has done in your life. So begin by giving God thanks today. You might find it helpful to recount the ways that he has blessed you. Then consider how you might extend that offering of thanks throughout the day.

“Lord, you have been so good to me—thank you! Help me always to be grateful as I make a return to you.” (Meditation on Psalm 116:12-13, 17-18, 2026)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Varina Buntin Willse who considers how Jesus taught through example and encouragement, not expecting perfection or certainty.

This is a loose definition of faith that Jesus gives, and a generous one. We don’t have to be big believers. We just need not be haters. Jesus gives the benefit of the doubt, quite literally. Doubt he does not condemn, only aggression of the hand and of the heart….  

We don’t know what we don’t know. I smile when I think about the way Jesus responded to his disciples when he was trying to teach them things. With deep sighs, he would marvel at how much they—the ones closest to him, the ones most devoted to the cause—missed. The people more able to absorb the fullness of Jesus’s message were the ones he advocated for directly; everyone else was enthralled but largely confused.  

This is in part because Jesus was not exactly direct. When teaching, he speaks in parables whose meanings are hard to discern and easy to misconstrue. Why? I think this is another, more subtle form of Jesus’s advocacy. Refusing to spoon-feed answers, he impels his followers to think for themselves so that they might act according to an understanding and a set of principles that they have developed rather than one dictated by a person in authority. Jesus is the reigning champion of critical thinking.  

And critical thinking is hard. We’d rather just to be told the answer, but teachers, the best of them, know better. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder, as we implore the Spirit, the foundation on which we build our life and whether we are sharing our good fruit that is maturing by connection to the Good Tree.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6? 

Maynard, A. (n.d.). Daily Reflection September 12, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-12-2026 

Meditation on Psalm 116:12-13, 17-18. (2026, September 12). The Word Among Us. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/12/1667559/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/10?14 

Psalms, PSALM 116 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/116?12 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Faith with Doubt: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/faith-with-doubt-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). A Life Built on a Solid Foundation. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 12, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Service Without Judgement

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to ponder how we “run the race of discipleship and live for service to God’s people”.

The race of Life

In the Reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul offers his Reason for Not Using His Rights and choosing to be All Things to All.

* [9:1–27] This chapter is an emotionally charged expansion of Paul’s appeal to his own example in 1 Cor 8:13; its purpose is to reinforce the exhortation of 1 Cor 8:9. The two opening questions introduce the themes of Paul’s freedom and his apostleship (1 Cor 9:1), themes that the chapter will develop in reverse order, 1 Cor 9:1–18 treating the question of his apostleship and the rights that flow from it, and 1 Cor 9:19–27 exploring dialectically the nature of Paul’s freedom. The language is highly rhetorical, abounding in questions, wordplays, paradoxes, images, and appeals to authority and experience. The argument is unified by repetitions; its articulations are highlighted by inclusions and transitional verses.

* [9:15–18] Paul now assigns a more personal motive to his nonuse of his right to support. His preaching is not a service spontaneously undertaken on his part but a stewardship imposed by a sort of divine compulsion. Yet to merit any reward he must bring some spontaneous quality to his service, and this he does by freely renouncing his right to support. The material here is quite similar to that contained in Paul’s “defense” at 2 Cor 11:5–12; 12:11–18.

* [9:19–23] In a rhetorically balanced series of statements Paul expands and generalizes the picture of his behavior and explores the paradox of apostolic freedom. It is not essentially freedom from restraint but freedom for service—a possibility of constructive activity.

* [9:24–27] A series of miniparables from sports, appealing to readers familiar with Greek gymnasia and the nearby Isthmian games.

* [9:27] For fear that…I myself should be disqualified: a final paradoxical turn to the argument: what appears at first a free, spontaneous renunciation of rights (1 Cor 9:12–18) seems subsequently to be required for fulfillment of Paul’s stewardship (to preach effectively he must reach his hearers wherever they are, 1 Cor 9:19–22), and finally is seen to be necessary for his own salvation (1 Cor 9:23–27). Mention of the possibility of disqualification provides a transition to 1 Cor 10. (1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 84 expresses the sentiments of the pilgrims eager to enjoy the divine presence.

* [Psalm 84] Israelites celebrated three pilgrimage feasts in Jerusalem annually. The Psalm expresses the sentiments of the pilgrims eager to enjoy the divine presence.

* [84:4] The desire of a restless bird for a secure home is an image of the desire of a pilgrim for the secure house of God, cf. Ps 42:2–3, where the image for the desire of the pilgrim is the thirst of the deer for water.

* [84:7] Baca valley: Hebrew obscure; probably a valley on the way to Jerusalem.

* [84:8] Strength to strength: pass through outer and inner wall.

* [84:10] Our shield…your anointed: the king had a role in the liturgical celebration. For the king as shield, cf. Ps 89:19. (Psalms, PSALM 84 | USCCB, n.d.)

The “Sermon on the Plain” from the Gospel of Luke addresses Judging Others.

* [6:20–49] Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” is the counterpart to Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” (Mt 5:1–7:27). It is addressed to the disciples of Jesus, and, like the sermon in Matthew, it begins with beatitudes (Lk 6:20–22) and ends with the parable of the two houses (Lk 6:46–49). Almost all the words of Jesus reported by Luke are found in Matthew’s version, but because Matthew includes sayings that were related to specifically Jewish Christian problems (e.g., Mt 5:17–20; 6:1–8, 16–18) that Luke did not find appropriate for his predominantly Gentile Christian audience, the “Sermon on the Mount” is considerably longer. Luke’s sermon may be outlined as follows: an introduction consisting of blessings and woes (Lk 6:20–26); the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36); the demands of loving one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42); good deeds as proof of one’s goodness (Lk 6:43–45); a parable illustrating the result of listening to and acting on the words of Jesus (Lk 6:46–49). At the core of the sermon is Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s enemies (Lk 6:27–36) that has as its source of motivation God’s graciousness and compassion for all humanity (Lk 6:35–36) and Jesus’ teaching on the love of one’s neighbor (Lk 6:37–42) that is characterized by forgiveness and generosity.

* [6:37–42] See notes on Mt 7:1–12; 7:1; 7:5. (Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB, n.d.)

Greg Dyche comments that Paul is talking to people who think they have it made after being baptized. He’s using their love of sporting events as his metaphor. Paul’s preaching is the same as the role of one announcing the rules of the game and then participating in the game. Even after telling everyone how to run, he is wise to be diligent should he violate the rules and be disqualified.

Am I to be anxious and afraid? No. Am I to be a realist and remember how I can drift? Do I believe I have free will, and I can choose to drift to comfort and ease in a world without God? Even at the peak of my relationship with God, I am aware of what can happen over time.

Lest I forget. Grace is free to all and sufficient. I have no reason to be afraid or anxious, but I also know this isn’t a game. My life is on the line, not just my eternity. With God’s help, I must run so as to win. (Dyche, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Seeing the speck in another's eye”, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The word hypocrite is aptly employed here (Luke 6:42, Matthew 7:5), since the denouncing of evils is best viewed as a matter only for upright persons of goodwill. When the wicked engage in it, they are like impersonators, masqueraders, hiding their real selves behind a mask, while they portray another's character through the mask. The word hypocrites in fact signifies pretenders. Hence we ought especially to avoid that meddlesome class of pretenders who under the pretense of seeking advice undertake the censure of all kinds of vices. They are often moved by hatred and malice. Rather, whenever necessity compels one to reprove or rebuke another, we ought to proceed with godly discernment and caution. First of all, let us consider whether the other fault is such as we ourselves have never had or whether it is one that we have overcome. Then, if we have never had such a fault, let us remember that we are human and could have had it. But if we have had it and are rid of it now, let us remember our common frailty, in order that mercy, not hatred, may lead us to the giving of correction and admonition. In this way, whether the admonition occasions the amendment or the worsening of the one for whose sake we are offering it (for the result cannot be foreseen), we ourselves shall be made safe through singleness of eye. But if on reflection we find that we ourselves have the same fault as the one we are about to reprove, let us neither correct nor rebuke that one. Rather, let us bemoan the fault ourselves and induce that person to a similar concern, without asking him to submit to our correction."(excerpt from Sermon on the Mount 2.19.64) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for today. Paul declares to the Corinthians that he has no reason to boast. The reward for service is the ability to serve. He compares himself to a spiritual athlete trying to win the race to which God has called him. The lifetime choice to serve as our vocation is undertaken with enthusiasm. We should follow those with insight and we will be like them. We are not to judge others, but by recognizing what they are capable of we need to bring them to conversion. Friar Jude offers that by observing our own conversion they may want to be what we have and we may become one through our own conversion.

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-27 comments that St. Paul is warning us not to assume that Jesus’ sacrifice lets us off the hook from loving the Lord and serving his people. We need to approach our faith in the same way that a runner trains for a race or a boxer for a match: with intensity and discipline. Just as committed athletes structure their lives around their sport—devoting hours to practice, getting enough sleep, eating well—we should structure our lives around the Lord and make pleasing him our top priority. If an athlete does all this for love of the sport, how much more should we dedicate ourselves for love of our Savior!

There’s no way around it: the Christian life takes time and effort. But remember Paul’s words: everyone who runs the race of discipleship and service to God’s people will win an “imperishable” crown when they meet the Lord (1 Corinthians 9:25).

“Jesus, may I never lose sight of the salvation you have won for me!” (Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-27, n.d.)

Brian McLaren explains how he found support in the Bible to welcome uncertainty and expand his faith. He asks: “Are you a believer who puts your distinct beliefs first, or are you a person of faith who puts love first?…” 

That phrase I just used, person of faith, in one sense makes a simple generalization. It serves as a description that makes room for Christians, Muslims, Jews, and so on. But I am coming to see that person of faith is not just a generalization. It is also a differentiation, in contrast to a person of beliefs. It reflects a shared desire among people in all these diverse traditions to be identified not by lists of beliefs that exclude one another but by something deeper, by faith in a universal, non-­discriminatory love that calls us all together. 

In that light, the word doubt can mean two very different things. When it is applied to faith that expresses itself in beliefs, it means one thing. When it is applied to faith that expresses itself in revolutionary love, it means something very different. Sometimes, it is only by doubting a religion that expresses itself in beliefs that we can discover a faith that expresses itself in revolutionary love. (McLaren, n.d.)

We recognize our need for the Spirit to assist our contemplation of our mission and affirm our commitment to use our talents in service of faith expressed in love.

References

Dyche, G. (2026, September 11). Daily Reflection September 11, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-11-2026 

Luke, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/6? 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). A Person of Faith and Love. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-person-of-faith-and-love/ 

Meditation on 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-27. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/09/11/1667011/ 

1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/9? 

Psalms, PSALM 84 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/84? 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do You Not See the Log in Your Own Eye? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 11, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/