CAN YOU BE PATIENT EVEN TOWARDS YOUR ENEMY? HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 16TH WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME

CAN YOU BE PATIENT EVEN TOWARDS YOUR ENEMY?

PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE WEEDS

Jeremiah 7:1-11; Mathew 13:24-30

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, in the Gospel narrative, we hear the parable of the weeds. A parable in which the kingdom of God is compared to someone who sowed good seeds in the field but while asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away (Mt 13:24-25). In the parallel, the sower is the Son of Man, the field is the world and the good seed are the children of God, the weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil (Mt 13:37-39). 

Firstly, the parable speaks to us about the need for us to be vigilant and watchful in all we do, lest the evil one invades the world, the church, our hearts and consciences and sows evil seeds of deceit, dishonesty and falsehood. These like the weeds commence to choke our faith and our consciousness and begin to barricade our sound mind and intellect on morality.  To be asleep means to be spiritually dormant, to be morally inactive and to be intellectually somnolent. In a situation like this one is prone to danger and attack from the enemy. This the Gospel recommends: Be vigilant and watchful, for our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for souls to devour. Stand up to him strong in faith ( 1Peter 5:8).

Friends in Christ, It is rightly said that prevention is better than cure. As servants, disciples and apostles of Christ Jesus, we must be responsible for keeping watch over the flock of Christ,  whom as seeds are still in their nursery stage of life and needs protection and leadership as they grow into Christian maturity. It is better to have formidable security over matters of faith and morals through the deepening of our catechesis and theological affirmations.

Another aspect worth reflecting upon is the response given by the farm owner to the servant who was desirous to uproot the weeds. He said: “No, for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest” (Mt 13:29-30). 

Evident is the patient attitude of God who is described as the farm owner and sower of the seeds in contrast to that of the servant who is quick to uproot and destroy. Beloved in Christ, this addresses the reason why the wrath of God never blazes quickly upon the wicked. For God is slow to anger and abounding in mercy. God knows very well that through conversion and repentance, once a sinner can eventually become a Saint. The evil can be converted even by the good. Add to this is the thought of St. Augustine that the presence of the evil doers obliges the good to remain saintly in their practice of virtue. For St. Augustine, remove sinners, and you also remove martyrs. 

We pray that God will grant us the enabling strength to keep guard over our faith, our conscience and our moral resolves that the darts of the evil one may never prevail against us. 

Have a fruitful day

Fr Remi osj