2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3 / Matthew 7:15-20 (2022)
Every country and every nation has its share of good and bad leaders.
Whilst good leaders were far and few between and they are held in honour for the good they did for their country, the bad leaders had caused much damage because of self-interest and greed.
In the 1st reading, we heard of the high priest Hilkiah and the court secretary Shaphan finding and reading the Book of the Law and decided to inform king Josiah about it.
The Book of the Law had been hidden in the previous tyrannical regimes that had been unfaithful to the Lord in order to save it from being destroyed.
The high priest and the court officials were bold enough to present the Book of the Law to the king probably because they saw in the king a person of integrity and justice.
Indeed, just as a tree is judged by its fruits, a person is judged by his character.
As Jesus taught in the gospel, a sound tree bears good fruit, but a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
Yes, and also a sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Yet we have to be alert and examine ourselves constantly for corruption and decay, because a sound tree can also become a rotten tree due to negligence and complacency.
When we realize we have stopped bearing good fruits, or even started bearing rotten fruits in our lives, let us immediately turn back to the Lord for healing and forgiveness.
We can't deceive others; they will know us by our fruits.