Producing Fruits

There is an online deadly viral challenge known as Momo Challenge that targets the mentally vulnerable children. It uses an image of a grotesque doll with big bulging eyes to throw a series of dangerous tasks encouraging kids to self-harm to the point of committing suicide. It is a form of cyberbullying spreading through social media such that if someone refuses to follow the instructions, the Momo intimidate them with dire consequences.

The perpetrators of this terrifying suicide challenge monitor the status of people on social networking websites to find out people with suicidal tendencies. Parents, therefore, should be more alert in monitoring what their kids are doing online. They need to teach their child to say no with confidence and learn to listen to them, instead of talking to them all the time. This social media challenge cannot be taken lightly because there are really people out there who are intent in destroying others or try to disturb our children.

Our gospel today (Lk 6:39-45) tells us that “a good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.”  Hence, each tree is known by its fruit. When a driver is honest, we know he is a good person. When a kid causes trouble in school, we recognize he has a troubled home. The fruit reveals a person. The creator of this Momo Challenge greatly reveals a troubled relationship. But a Christian, because he has the spirit of Jesus, ought to be a positive influence in the world. He brings sunshine and joy to others.

We need, then, to take care of our hearts because the good we do come out of the store of goodness in our hearts. On the contrary, the evil we commit is the product of the store of evil in our hearts. We are shaped by our thoughts. In the process, we become what we think.