7/23/2023 (Sunday) Today’s gospel reading: Matthew 13:24-30

24 Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
26 When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
27 The slaves of the householder came to him and said, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where have the weeds come from?’
28 He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them.
30 Let them grow together until harvest; then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn.”

7/23/2023 (Sunday) Today’s gospel reflection: Matthew 13:24-30

The parable of Jesus above shows us three characters: the sower or householder, the workers or slaves, and the enemy. The householder sows good wheat seeds and he is very patient and tolerant. The workers are too willing to uproot the weeds. The enemy tries to destroy the field by planting weeds. We can apply wheat seeds and weeds to represent good and bad ideas and actions. The human being is the field.

The wheat seeds will grow and bear grains as food for the world. The weeds on the other hand are useless and in fact, they become competitors for space and nutrients. If they are both allowed to grow on the same spot of land, the weeds can choke the wheat and some wheat plants will not grow well. Others may die early as a result.

In the real world, weeds are removed early so as to prevent them from competing with the crops for space and nutrients. In the human person, bad thoughts and bad habits should be not be allowed to continue any longer.

Yet Jesus wants to point out the reality of evil in the world whether they are evil thoughts or people with evil motives. They do exist but the parable is clear. Evil will never triumph. In the end, the good will win over evil.

*****

Every human being is a creation of the Supreme being. While it is true that the human world is composed of the good and the bad, let us never condemn anyone to be burn in hell. Like the slaves in the parable, we may be quick to condemn some people as evil and try our best to eliminate them. God alone is the ultimate judge, a very patient judge. Let us instead endeavor to make ourselves a holy and fertile ground for the word of God to flower and bear good fruits.

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