12th Week in Ordinary Time 2025 - Wednesday - Authentic vs. False Prophets

Yesterday, we celebrated the birth of the great prophet of the Lord, St. John the Baptist. 

Sometimes we think of a prophet as one who can foretell the future. But that is not really the biblical understanding of the role of the prophet. Rather, a prophet is one who has the ability to point to the Truth in the present. 

In today’s Gospel, the Lord Jesus warns his followers to beware of false prophets. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will know them.” If true prophets point us to truth, false prophets lead us away from the truth.

John the Baptist was a true prophet because he pointed to the truth that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Son of God. John was a true prophet because he called people to acknowledge the truth that they had sinned and needed a Savior.

False prophets do the opposite. Ultimately, they point us a way from Jesus. But often, they do so subtly. They say, follow your feelings. It’s your body, you can do whatever you want with it. You don’t need a Savior, you’re fine just the way we are. 

False prophets absolutely permeate our culture. “By their fruits you will know them.”  We see the fruits of these false prophets all around us: broken marriages, the destruction of unborn life, widespread confusion about gender identity, addiction, corruption in government and institutions, ignorance of Scripture, and falling away from right religion. These are not the signs of God’s kingdom, but of a world led astray by voices that do not speak for Christ.

Now, the Lord issues this warning to his followers because he knows that we have a tendency to gravitate toward voices who tell us what we want to hear, that encourage us to justify giving in to temptation and deviating from the path of righteousness because righteousness is hard, bearing the cross is hard.

But, as followers of Jesus, we must cling to the true and the good even when it is difficult. We must form our minds through prayer, Scripture, and sound teaching, so that we may not be deceived. 

Let us pray for wisdom, courage, and fidelity, that we may recognize the true voice of the Shepherd and reject the lies that lead to ruin, and help others to do the same, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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Let us turn to the one true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and offer our prayers with hearts open to truth and grace.

For the Church throughout the world: That she may continue to form faithful prophets who speak the truth of Christ with boldness and compassion in every age.

For leaders in government, education, and media: That they may act with integrity and resist the temptation to mislead or manipulate, always seeking the good of those they serve.

For those led astray by the confusion and moral darkness of our time: That through prayer, sound teaching, and Christian witness, they may come to know the truth that sets us free in Christ.

For the sick, the poor, and the suffering: That they may be comforted by the presence of Christ and supported by the love and prayers of His faithful disciples.

For the faithful departed: That having followed the voice of the Good Shepherd in this life, they may be welcomed into eternal peace and joy.

Father of truth and mercy, grant our prayers and all that we need remain faithful to your Son in all things. Through the same Christ our Lord.

12th Week in Ordinary Time 2024 - Wednesday - Rediscovering God's Word and Authentic Prophets

 Almost a hundred years had passed from yesterday’s old testament reading about King Hezekiah going into the Temple, kneeling down, and pleading to God to deliver his people from the Assyrians. 

In today’s reading, now Josiah was king. His father King Amon had returned idol worship to Judah and abandoning God and His covenant. Chronicles says that Amon “did not humble himself before the LORD…on the contrary, Amon only increased his guilt.” Amon was such a bad king that his royal officials assassinated him, placing Josiah on the throne of Judah.

And unlike his father, Josiah sought to be true to the covenant, “He did what was right in the LORD’s sight, walking in the way of David his father, not turning right or left.”

And today we read how the high priest rediscovers the scriptures, and Josiah tears his clothes out of shame for how far his fathers had fallen from God. And then Josiah gathered all the people and reads the entire book to them. The king helped the nation rediscover its relationship with God and faithfulness to the covenant. He of recommitted himself and the nation to their religious obligations. So that they may know God’s friendship, his divine favor, and protection.

Josiah echoed the sentiments in today’s psalm, written by David centuries before, “Instruct me, O LORD, in the way of your statutes, that I may exactly observe them.”

In the reading from the sermon on the mount, the Lord is warning his followers to beware false prophets. 

How can we discern between authentic prophets and false prophets? In light of the first reading and psalm, True prophets point us to the faithful practice of our God-given religion; false prophets l water down the faith and seek to recreate the Church according to the principles of the world. True prophets help us to rediscover and live out the truth of Christ’s teachings, false prophets preach, what St. Paul calls, “an empty seductive philosophy.”  True prophets teach us to bear our crosses, faithfully; false prophets urge us to cast away our crosses and base our decision on feelings, pleasure, power, and wealth.

“By their fruits you will know” the false prophets. And we do know the fruits of the false prophets of our age: broken marriages, abortion, perversion, corruption in government, biblical and doctrinal illiteracy, grievously low church attendance, the dehumanization of the poor, and the loss of the sense of sin. So many rotten fruits from turning away from the authentic teaching of Christ.

Rather, Christ teaches us that we are blessed—we come to know the fullness of life—when we humble ourselves, and aim to obey all he teaches, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

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For the Church, that like King Josiah, our leaders may help us rediscover the fullness of our faith and recommit ourselves to living out Christ's teachings faithfully. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our society, that we may turn away from the rotten fruits of false teachings and instead embrace the life-giving words of Christ. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who have fallen away from the faith, that like the people of Judah in Josiah's time, they may rediscover the beauty and truth of God's word. Let us pray to the Lord.

For those who are suffering, especially the poor and marginalized, that we may see Christ in them and respond with compassion and justice. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our community, that we may grow in biblical and doctrinal literacy, deepening our understanding and love for our faith. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the grace to bear our crosses faithfully, finding in them a path to draw closer to Christ and His saving love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have died, may they rejoice forever in the presence of the Lamb of God, especially X….

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord