Speaking in Parables
Every since last Sunday’s Gospel, a couple of things have been on my mind. One is Jesus’ reply regarding His speaking in parables. Why did the Gospel writers, under the direction of the Holy Spirit continue to recite these parables? Was it because they knew that down through the ages we still don’t get the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven?
The other was “Whoever has ears ought to hear”. We need to continually listen to the Word! We are all little children needing to learn.
Last weeks parable about the “Sower” and this weeks about the “Weeds and the Wheat” go hand in hand.
When you heard last week’s gospel, where did you place yourself? On the path, or the ground with little soil, maybe among the thorns, or were you the rich fertile soil? May I suggest that at different times, we are all each of these, but we must always strive to be the rich fertile soil.
And today’s parable about the weeds and the wheat! When the Lord created each of us, and placed one of His precious souls in us, we were all wheat! As we look around, how many today see us as wheat, or has our ways become so tarnished its hard for to tell us from the weeds?
The Pharisees believed that the kingdom was only for saints; sinners therefore should be ruthlessly weeded out. But Christ didn’t agree as today’s parable shows. The parable clearly points out that up to the last judgment, the kingdom will be a mixed bag of good and evil. In the meantime, we the Church must be patient, we must be repentant and practice leniency towards all. Mercy and leniency are expressions, not of weakness, but of strength!
Last Spring, as I drove to church, I marveled at the beauty of the golden grains of wheat waving in the breeze. But I also noticed other fields that were overgrown with weeds. You know it takes a lot of preparation to make even good soil produce much fruit.
My brothers and sisters, it is the same with you and I. When God created us, He saw that it was very good! In today’s first reading from the book of Wisdom, we heard how God has both the knowledge and power to root out all evil if He so desires, but the reading talks about His leniency, and how we ought to imitate it.
Just as we need to constantly work and prepare the soil for a fruitful harvest, we need to constantly work to prepare ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit in order that we can produce much good fruit.
Let us close with a prayer:
Father, we are like seeds planted by you in the same field. Together we soak in the sun; together we sway in the wind. Grant that we may help one another grow towards what you have called us to be.
Amen.