THE WORD
Jer 14,17-22 / Mt 13,36-43
Jesus spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.”
Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned (up) with re, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will go them to throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
IN OTHER WORDS
In an SVD school in Chile was a parent who frequently raised questions about faith. One day, she asked me: “Padre, why doesn’t God simplify things for us? Can’t He simply bring about peace by keeping good people alive and eliminating all those who are evil?” I replied with a question: “If you are a mother of ten children five of whom are behaving well, and the other five are giving you terrible headaches, will you eliminate your bad children?” Immediately, she said: “Of course not!”
In the parable of the weeds, Jesus presents to us the Kingdom of God as a reality that grows but not without threats and obstacles. We hear bad news and frightening situations daily. In our small communities and families, we also find “weeds” growing among the wheat. When we scrutinize our own self, we find lights and shadows. We have to deal with our weaknesses and resolve our conflicts. The psalmist reminds us of God’s merciful love and the hope of our salvation: “Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who could escape being condemned? But you forgive us, so that we should stand in awe of you” (Psalm 130:3-4).
The Lord shows us incomparable patience and kindness and endless opportunities to make the goodness within us grow and flourish. We have to decide whether to let the good seeds grow or to allow the weeds to extinguish the light of goodness in our hearts. In the parable, Jesus speaks of harvest, of reckoning, of judgment, of having to give an account of our life to the Author of life.
When that moment comes, may we find ourselves smiling and singing because the good seeds ofthe Kingdom sown within us have definitively triumphed over the weeds of our pride and sel shness.
- Fr. Edwin Fernandez, SVD | DWC, Laoag
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience. The Word in other words 2016
