16th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A Reflection . The Parable of the Weeds. Insight vid + full text.
OUTLINE
- Summary of ideas of today’s Sunday readings
- The need for vigilance, fidelity to Christ and perseverance to choose what is good.
1. Summary of ideas of today’s Sunday readings
Today’s 1st reading – which speaks of God’s clemency and permits repentance from one’s sins (Wis 12:13, 16–19)-, and Gospel (Mt 13:24–43)- with the parable of the good grain and the weed -, are a wake-up call to fight against the temptation into which we often fall, that of being the judge of others, excluding them from the kingdom of heaven.
- We often forget that God permits and grants the wonderful gift of repentance from one’s sins.
- And we also forget that the Lord will return at the end of time during which it will be clear who the wheat is (the just who will inherit God’s eternal life) who the weeds are (those who, out of their own choice, have chosen in their life, to live for themselves, resulting to an eternal life of condemnation). During his 2nd coming, God will be the only and sole Judge of the entire humanity.
In the meantime, while we are in our earthly pilgrimage, let us ask God to help us renounce sin and and live a new life of daily conversion:
Graciously draw near to your people, we pray, O Lord, and lead those you have imbued with heavenly mysteries to pass from former ways to newness of life. (prayer after communion)
For God is gracious and merciful (Psalm) and His Spirit comes to our aid to help us in our weakness and intercedes for us ineffable groanings (2nd reading, Rom 8:26–27).
2. The need for vigilance, fidelity to Christ and perseverance to choose what is good.
2.1. During the time of Lord, personal vengeance against one’s enemies sometimes is done by sowing weeds (cockle=darnel=tares), in an enemy’s wheat field.
- It was considered a great crime and Roman law prescribes penalties for this since this weed — cockle —, which looks similar to wheat, contaminates the flour and causes severe nausea after eating.
2.2. Our Lord makes use of this parable to show us the need to be vigilant against the contamination of our faith caused by false prophets, and against worldliness which dampens and weakens our Christian life and our mission to be God’s instruments in the middle of the world.
- Hence, we cannot remain careless, passive and indifferent because by doing so, we are allowing the enemy to sow his seed. Rather, we must be faithful to Christ and His Church, live coherently —without being afraid to begin again in the sacrament of Confession if we have fallen—and be apostolic so as to gain souls for Christ: all these without being discouraged with the presence of evil in our world.
2.3. Rather, in face of the presence of moral evils in our time, God wants to confirm us in our faith. He wants us to persevere in choosing the good and have the firm hope that evil will not have the last say.
- Evil will be present until the end of time, not because of God, but because of man’s abuse of his freedom.
- But in the end, at the Final Judgment ( =the harvest), God and His goodness will ultimately triumph, evil will be vanquished; the good will receive their reward (heaven) while the bad, their punishment, the end result of the choices made during one’s life on earth.
Show favor, O Lord, to your servants, and mercifully bestow the gifts of your grace upon them, that made fervent in hope, faith and charity, they may be ever watchful in keeping your commands. Opening prayer of the Mass.
ORINIGAL PHOTO SOURCE: Cristo de la Paza (jerez) by Josemaria Leal (sculptor) in https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bbeb4XoEvQg/V9RmK37QBOI/AAAAAAAAuJE/FN49tG6MkIw8YsaN4O1XA8Tt11x_3n4UwCLcB/s1600/14316847_1138569179557210_6697107247761096068_n.jpg
JULY 19, 2020,
HOLY MASS
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