“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting.”
— Romans 6:22
Today, in the quiet rhythm of the liturgical year after Pentecost, Holy Church calls us to deeper interior examination. The Epistle and Gospel, chosen by the Church with divinely inspired wisdom, challenge the heart with clarity: there is no middle way between serving sin and serving God. Through St. Paul’s exhortation and Our Lord’s solemn warning, the liturgy continues its gentle but firm schooling in sanctity.
Romans 6:19–23 — Servants of Justice unto Sanctification
St. Paul, in this section of his letter to the Romans, speaks with a frankness born of fatherly concern. “I speak after the manner of man, because of the infirmity of your flesh.” He draws a stark contrast between the old slavery to sin and the new servitude to righteousness. The Apostle does not mask the nature of Christian life — it is service, it is slavery, but it is holy slavery: bondage to the liberating law of grace.
St. John Chrysostom, commenting on this passage, says:
“He calls it slavery, not because it is slavish, but in condescension to our weakness, for we are more apt to understand this comparison. It is a slavery of love, not compulsion; and yet it demands all the heart.”
(Homilies on Romans, Homily 12)
This “fruit unto sanctification” St. Paul speaks of is the slow ripening of the soul into holiness. Where sin bore the bitter harvest of death, grace cultivates a tree of life. We are reminded that even now — not only in the life to come — sanctity is to be expected as the “fruit” of our union with Christ.
St. Augustine adds further nuance:
“Man is made free by grace when he becomes the servant of justice. The will, once enslaved to sin, is now led by love to serve righteousness. The end of this love is life everlasting.”
(On Grace and Free Will, ch. 16)
Matthew 7:15–21 — False Prophets and the Tree Known by Its Fruit
Turning to the Gospel, Our Lord warns us against “false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” This warning resonates with particular gravity in our time, where error often parades under the garb of piety and doctrinal compromise masquerades as charity.
Our Lord’s solution is not clever rhetoric or polemics — it is discernment by fruit. “By their fruits you shall know them.” What is the fruit of a teacher? Holiness of life, fidelity to doctrine, reverence for the Sacred Liturgy, and the ability to lead souls to God.
St. Cyril of Alexandria writes:
“The fruit is the doctrine, the manner of life, the effect in the hearts of men. The wolf is the corrupter of truth, whose outward appearance mimics that of the faithful, but whose inward motive is destruction.”
(Commentary on Matthew, Book 5)
And again, the severe conclusion of today’s Gospel should sober every soul:
“Not every one that saith to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of My Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
It is not sufficient to bear the external signs of religion, or to profess sound doctrine with the lips. Only the doing of the Father’s will — a life conformed to Christ in all things — grants entrance into the heavenly kingdom.
St. Gregory the Great, reflecting on this passage, says:
“The words of the teacher must be confirmed by his works; for the tongue without life is smoke without fire. Many appear as lambs in their words but are wolves in their deeds.”
(Homiliae in Evangelia, Homily 12)
Liturgical Context: The Spirit of the Post-Pentecost Season
This Wednesday after the Seventh Sunday post Octavam Pentecostes reminds us that the sanctifying fire of Pentecost is not a moment, but a mission. The green vestments of this time indicate life — not yet perfected glory, but growth in grace. The Epistle and Gospel today align perfectly: we are to yield ourselves wholly to God, bearing the fruit of sanctity, and discerning true doctrine and holy living from counterfeit religion.
Commemoration of SS. Abdon and Sennen
The commemoration of the holy martyrs Abdon and Sennen also deepens today’s message. These Persian nobles, brought to Rome and martyred under Decius, chose to be “slaves of righteousness” even unto death. Their fruit endures — in glory, and in the inspiration they offer to us, weary laborers in the vineyard.
Prayerful Resolution
Let us pray for the grace to:
- Yield our members wholly unto righteousness, desiring holiness as the only fitting fruit of our baptism.
- Discern carefully the voices we follow, measuring them not by appearance but by fidelity and fruit.
- Walk humbly and actively in the will of the Father, not content with mere words, but longing to do His will.
“O Lord, make me Thy servant, that I may no longer be the slave of sin. Plant me as a tree by Thy streams of grace, that I may bear fruit in due season: sanctity in life, and life everlasting in death. Amen.”