“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:15-16
The false prophets: wolves in sheep’s clothing
Jesus warns us in the Gospel about false prophets: some come in sheep’s clothing, but are actually wolves.
These words resonate strongly with those who, like you, have been wounded by spiritual or human figures who wore masks. Under an appearance of gentleness or wisdom, they wielded destructive power, even sometimes in the name of God.
They are trees with diseased roots, but whose leaves may seem bright… until the fruit reveals their true nature.
There are wounds we don’t see right away.
They sometimes come from those we had placed our trust in, voices that seemed gentle but carried within them a dull dissonance.
We believed in the light…
But it was a reflection, a well-woven mask.
And one day, the veil falls.
It hurts, destabilizes and shakes even our faith in ourselves.
But sometimes—often, even—the light finds its way through this crack.
For the heart, once wounded, no longer wants illusions.
It seeks what is true. What liberates. What makes us grow.
In this sharing, I open a voice born from this journey.
Not to accuse, but to enlighten.
Not to distrust everything, but to learn to feel with an awakened soul.
I myself went through this ordeal. But in the heart of that night, I discovered a call to discernment, to inner clarity, and to a freer expression of myself.
Mary Magdalene: Recognizing the True Prophet, the True Shepherd
The example of Mary Magdalene, wounded and then raised up by the true Shepherd, helped me greatly.
Mary Magdalene, too, experienced accusing looks. She heard the whispers, felt the shame, and made the judgments.
But one day, she encountered the true Prophet. Jesus.
The One who wears no mask.
The One who has nothing to hide, for all in Him is light and truth.
She no longer needs to conform, to please, to fade into the background: she has tasted the truth.
And Jesus said to her:
“You are not a sick tree, you are a tree that has survived the drought and is beginning to bear real fruit.”
The fruit of this encounter?
—Peace.
—Rediscovered dignity.
—An inner freedom that changes everything.
The fruit of forgiveness: a good fruit, ripened in pain
Through her story, we discover another path: that of forgiveness, regained freedom, and good fruit—ripened in pain but full of life.
The forgiveness that Mary Magdalene receives becomes a new fruit that she, in turn, bears.
She could have hated, taken revenge, locked away her heart. But she chose to love, to believe, to follow.
As Jesus said: “A good tree bears good fruit.”
Mary Magdalene is the one who, on Easter morning, remains faithful near the tomb. The one who weeps… but who hopes.
She is also the first to see the risen Jesus. This is no accident.
Her past is not erased, but transformed into a testimony.
Forgiveness opens the eyes of the heart.
When you forgive, even those who have broken you, you become a witness to the light. You make new life possible. You show that love is stronger than wounds.
