December 4 - Clay Bonham
Matthew 3:1-12
Today's Advent reflection is on Matthew 3:1-12 from Mr. Clay Bonham.
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Listening to the readings for this Sunday, we hear so many references to trees. Shoots and roots, blossoms and fruits - to me, and other suburbanites, it goes right over my head. My dad, however, grew up on a farm in Georgia and knew a lot about trees. When we moved from Cleveland to our new home in Rhode Island, he was so excited to show me the apple trees, the pear trees, and even the cherry trees!
As a young man, they all looked the same to me. I did not see anything special or unique. It was not until the tree blossomed that I was able to see which was the apple tree and which was the pear tree. That was when I would be called upon to help pick the fruit. If the tree did not produce much fruit, we would leave it alone and wait until next season to see if maybe a little extra soil or a little pruning might help. But in the gospel this Sunday, we hear John the Baptist give a pretty harsh command for what to do with trees that do not produce good fruit. He says:
“Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
John does not mince words. He compares us to a tree! It was only after learning about trees and fruit that this passage made sense. If a tree is given good soil, lots of sun, and water, it will transform those elements into scrumptious fruit. If we are given good instruction, healthy relationships, and strong faithful role models, God can use those elements to grow us into the men God intends us to be. If we hang out with the wrong people or constantly distract ourselves from God’s word, our fruit will be quite bruised and rotten.
As a young man, they all looked the same to me. I did not see anything special or unique. It was not until the tree blossomed that I was able to see which was the apple tree and which was the pear tree. That was when I would be called upon to help pick the fruit. If the tree did not produce much fruit, we would leave it alone and wait until next season to see if maybe a little extra soil or a little pruning might help. But in the gospel this Sunday, we hear John the Baptist give a pretty harsh command for what to do with trees that do not produce good fruit. He says:
“Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees.
Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit
will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
John does not mince words. He compares us to a tree! It was only after learning about trees and fruit that this passage made sense. If a tree is given good soil, lots of sun, and water, it will transform those elements into scrumptious fruit. If we are given good instruction, healthy relationships, and strong faithful role models, God can use those elements to grow us into the men God intends us to be. If we hang out with the wrong people or constantly distract ourselves from God’s word, our fruit will be quite bruised and rotten.
We need to cut out (literally…with an ax!) those vices that lay at the root of our lives and prevent us from being our best. Advent is the perfect time to prepare not only our homes for Christmas but also our hearts. Are there elements in our lives that we can root out so that our fruit will be sweeter and ready to give to others? Because, in the end, we are made to give away the gifts we have been given, to give our fruit (our gifts) to bring comfort to others. Happy Advent!
Mount Saint Joseph High School
Mount Saint Joseph is a Catholic, college preparatory school for young men sponsored by the Xaverian Brothers.
