When you hear the word ‘prophet’, most likely you think of someone who is a positive figure. The dictionary tells us that a prophet is “a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.” So, a prophet should be a good and holy person. But today Jesus is warning us that there also are false prophets. How can we tell the difference and stay away from those who are false? “By their fruits you will know them. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit,” Jesus says. Today I am thinking about our priests and bishops, and perhaps we don’t call them prophets, but they too are called to be inspired teachers and proclaimers of the will of God. But as you well know, some of them are good and holy and some are simply false. And you know this by the fruit they bring forth. You will know that, when you experience those who truly care about proclaiming the will of God, they are humble and selfless, so you would be able to trust them. But there are also those that you would rather stay away from, those who care only about their own gain, pride, and glory. In the end, their fruit will tell us.
