By Faith Alone?

Today’s Gospel provides excellent evidence that in Heaven, actions speak louder than words. We could also quote St. James the Lesser, in his only epistle (2:12 – 26), but let’s take the (translated) words straight from the Lord. (We added a few preceding and succeeding verses to today’s Gospel according to Matthew.)

7:15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
7:16 You shall know them by their fruits. Can grapes be gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles?
7:17 So then, every good tree produces good fruit, and the evil tree produces evil fruit.
7:18 A good tree is not able to produce evil fruit, and an evil tree is not able to produce good fruit.
7:19 Every tree which does not produce good fruit shall be cut down and cast into the fire.
7:20 Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.
7:21 Not all who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven. But whoever does the will of my Father, who is in heaven, the same shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.
7:22 Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and perform many powerful deeds in your name?’
7:23 And then will I disclose to them: ‘I have never known you. Depart from me, you workers of iniquity.’
7:24 Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them shall be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock.
7:25 And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, but it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
7:26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them shall be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
7:27 And the rains descended, and the floods rose up, and the winds blew, and rushed upon that house, and it did fall, and great was its ruin.”