Matthew 12: 22-37
Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitudes were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, “This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
(Trees Are Known by Their Fruit) as also said in Matthew 7 (Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.) +Truly the distinction between trees is shown by their fruit. It is not that the fruit is known by the tree, for one need only to examine the fruit alone to find what kind of tree it is.
+Augustine: When he says, “Make the tree good and its fruit good,” this is not a friendly admonition but a clear command to be obeyed. +Actually: The tree is the human spirit and its fruits are its works. Thus, a wicked person can not do righteous deeds, nor good deeds have evil deeds. If the wicked wants to do righteous deeds, then he will become good first. This the Lord Jesus says they cannot do. For a person must first be changed in order for his works to be changed. But if a person remains in an evil state, that one cannot do good works.
1- The important question is: What are these fruits that know the tree? St. Augustin : For many see the fruits, especially the people who act as lambs (as children of God), not the lambs themselves, we may deceived by the wolves who carry lambs.
+From these fruits fasting, prayer, and charity, these things that even the hypocrites can do, so the Lord said, “Be careful not to make your righteousness before men to look you.”
+Many people are generous to the poor, not to their kindness, but to pride.
+Many pray or appear as though they were praying, although in reality they do not look to God but to praise people.
+And many people fast with wondrous appearance to receive the dignity of those who are in trouble.
+Therefore, the Lord does not advise us to give charity, prayer, and fasting as fruits that we know of the tree because it conceals the clothes of the lamb, not the lamb itself.
Be very carful about your works and by what intention you do them.
That why the Lord says: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven”
2- How much fruits? God in His great love and humbleness accepted hundredfold, sixty, and thirtyfold. even small amount of fruits He accepted and bless it saying (Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.)
+So what is important:
+ fruit type: Good
+quantity : more fruit always increase.
3- Fruit time: Psalm 1:3 Blessed is the man who……He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season,
4- Also there are different types of fruits, fruits in your relation with others, your relation with God, how you act and how you talk, that why He said : For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
+fruit type: Good and variable. +quantity : more fruit +time: due season another important question: What are the Parameters that helps to bear fruits?:
1- The good ground: as in the Parable of the Sower. the good soil is the open and clean good heart. The rich man was looking as a good soil but has the love of money as rocks in his heart. Soliman the King was a good open soil but surrounded by thorns.
2- The good nutrition: do you read your bible, do you have good friends, do you have spiritual guidance.
3- The proper protection: do you protect your spiritual life, how often you pray, you confess you, take the communion, attend spiritual meetings….., what types of pleasures you enjoy yourself, and how much?…

Review Your life: (every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.)
What type of fruits you have, do you work to improve what you have?
Glory be to God.
Fr. Abraam Farah