Similitude 4

Again he showed me many trees, some budding and others withered, and he said to me, “Do you see these trees?” “I see them, Sir,” I said, “some budding and others withered.” “The trees that are budding,” he said, “are the righteous who are going to live in the age to come. For the age to come is summer for the righteous, but winter for sinners. When the mercy of the Lord shines forth, those who serve God will then be revealed, and everyone will be revealed. For just as in summer the fruits of each tree become visible and it is known what kind they are, so also the fruits of the righteous will be visible, and all will be known as flourishing in that age. But the nations and the sinners—the withered trees you saw—will be found withered and fruitless in that age, and they will be burned like wood. It will be evident that their conduct during their life was evil. The sinners will be burned because they sinned and did not repent, and the nations because they did not know the One who created them. Therefore bear fruit, so that in that summer your fruit may be known. Keep away from too many undertakings, and you will not go astray. For those who undertake many things also sin in many things, because they are distracted by their affairs and do not serve their Lord at all. How, then,” he said, “can such a person ask anything from the Lord and receive it, when he does not serve the Lord? Those who serve Him will receive what they ask, but those who do not serve the Lord will receive nothing. But if someone attends to one undertaking, he can also serve the Lord, for his mind will not be drawn away from the Lord; rather, he will serve Him while keeping his mind pure. If, therefore, you do these things, you will be able to bear fruit for the age to come, and whoever does these things will bear fruit.”