Living
Saint Irenaeus, Bishop, Doctor, Martyr
Genesis 15:1-12,17-18
Matthew 7:15-20
In Matthew 7:15, Jesus says, ‘Beware of false prophets’. Saint Irenaeus, whose feast we celebrate today was no stranger to false prophets. As bishop of Lyons, France in the late second century, Irenaeus fought against the Gnostics of the time who could be viewed as “false prophets”. The Gnostics claimed they had access to secret knowledge from Jesus that he imparted to only a few disciples. Irenaeus was successful in exposing their claims as untrue, which helped confused Christians to disbelieve the heresy of Gnosticism.
it seems we are surrounded in our times by many ‘false prophets’ who claim to have the only truth or the only way to believe or understand things. Oftentimes it is hard to know what truth is or who to believe! Our faith calls us to be aware of those who bear bad fruit. Sometimes the soothsayers and false prophets can make us overwhelmed and despairing, but it is good to remember that by their fruits we will know them.
At the same time, how many times have we attempted to witness to someone about our love for Christ, or our dedication to Him in our troubles and woes? And how many times have people turned their backs on us because they cannot begin to receive what we offer because of their lack of faith, or their lack of understanding or knowledge. Maybe they are doubting Thomas, and nothing you say can open their eyes to realize the real truth.
Christ calls us today to see things differently, let us fix our eyes on Him because He is the Son of God who came to make us sons and daughters of God.
Fr Joseph Osho
