SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, JULY 20, MATTHEW 13:24-43 (Wisdom 12:13,16-19; Psalm 86; Romans 8:26-27) KEY VERSE: Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from? (v 27). READING: Jesus was a good teacher who employed parables, using the ordinary things of life to reveal the deep mysteries of Gods reign. The parables often centered on the domestic, industrial and agricultural work of the community. The parable aroused curiosity, and invited Jesus audience to search for the meaning, which often applied to their own lives. Gods reign was likened to a tiny mustard seed that grew into the largest of plants. It was like leaven that when mixed in the dough, made the whole batch rise. The parable of the weeds among the wheat revealed that good and evil would exist alongside one another until the Day of Judgment. The weeds in the story were darnel, a noxious plant that closely resembled the wheat. In the early stages of development, it was impossible to distinguish the one from the other. When the wheat ripened, the experienced eye would be able to differentiate between the two. The problem was that the roots were so intertwined that the weeds could not be uprooted without tearing up the wheat. So it is with evil; it is difficult to detect in its early stages until it grows strong and destroys what is good. God is the sole judge who will separate saint and sinner at the end of time. At the final judgment, God will reward the righteous who will reign in the everlasting light of the Kingdom. REFLECTING: In what ways do I help others understand the mysteries of Gods reign? PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to persist in my good work despite the evil that surrounds me.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Jul 2014 08:14:49 +0000
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