The Wheat and the weeds in our Hearts-HOMILY FOR THE 16TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 23RD JULY 2023

The Wheat and the weeds in our Hearts-HOMILY FOR 16TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME 23RD JULY 2023

Wisdom 12:13.16-19; Ps.86; Rom.8:26-27; Matthew 13:24-43

 _Let both grow together until the harvest_ (Lk.13:30a)

The Wheat and the weeds in our Hearts

Last Sunday, when Jesus told the parable of the sower whose seeds fell on different soils, it seemed as though the only obstruction to fruitfulness is when our hearts are not fertile soils for the seed of God’s Word to germinate. If we are not fertile, we cannot be fruitful; but when we are fertile, the battle against fruitlessness is not yet over. In the gospel reading of today, Jesus first tells a parable to draw our attention to yet another battle we must face, even as fertile soils, in order to be fruitful. The parable is a clear admittance to the reality of evil and its co-existence with the good. The problem of evil is not just that evil exists, but especially that it tends to co-habit with the good, causing tension. This was exemplified in the parable when the enemy of the sower went to sow weeds in the same field that wheat were sown.

The identity of the sower of the weeds was simply kept at “his enemy”. Later on when Jesus was explaining this parable to the disciples, he noted that this enemy is the devil. Beloved, let this truth resound again in our consciousness: the devil is our enemy. This may seem simply and obvious but rarely accepted in the way we live our lives. We claim to know that the devil is our enemy but we do not fight the devil or keep malice with him as much as we do with our fellow humans. We daily choose to love the devil who causes us to sin and hate that neighbour who tells us the truth. Today, when people shamelessly boast of their sinfulness, we praise them for being “real”; but when people are struggling towards perfection and encouraging others to do the same, we mock them for “pretending”. We find it easier to shut our hearts from loving one another than shutting the same heart from hearkening to the whips and caprices of the devil. Beloved, choose your battle wisely; the devil is your real enemy.

At first it wasn’t so clear why the enemy planted the weeds alongside the wheat. But one thing we know for sure is that weeds compete with wheat for nutrients; such that they stunt the growth of wheat. If you do not weed your farm, your plant may not do well. Little wonder the servants of the householder offered to go take off the weeds; but the householder refused. I can imagine how surprised the servants would have been at the refusal of the householder. This is the scandal of evil in our world today. It continues to baffle us why a good God will allow evil to exist in such magnitude and intensity in a world he had created good. We always feel that God could have done something: the innocent should not suffer, the wicked should not go unpunished, the young should not die, the oppressed should get justice, Nigerians deserve good leadership, and so on.

The householder replied the servants: “No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them”. This indicates that our best solution to the problem of evil may not really be the best. Supposing that it was part of the plan of the enemy that while trying to gather the weeds, some wheat should be uprooted; taking the suggestion of the servants would have meant playing to the gallery of the enemy. Beloved, we may not have the capacity to put a final stop to the existence of evil but we have the responsibility not to cooperate with it. Only God can really bring an end to the existence of evil and he has chosen the end of time to do so. So, while we live on, we must keep growing; and through our constant growth, overshadow evil.

On the same field were the wheat and the weeds sown. In every human heart, there is the proclivity to do both good and to do evil. Each time we do good, it means we have chosen it over evil; and each time we do evil, it is because we have rejected the good. There will never be a time when our hearts will not be drawn towards evil. We will be good, not because we couldn’t have been bad, but because we consciously chose to be good. So, on the last day, the temptations of life will not justify the bad choices we consciously made.

Jesus told a second parable likening the kingdom of heaven to a grain of mustard seed which though very small at first, becomes the greatest shrubs over time. In the battle against evil, sometimes we are so intimidated to think that we cannot really do much to overcome. The magnitude of evil either makes us to remain neutral or give in to the evil. Maybe we have often tried to overcome bad habits, but keep rolling back into them. Jesus tells us not to be discouraged by the littleness of our efforts. Do not imagine how long you will keep forgiving; how long you will keep yourself pure; how long you will be honest; how long you will be faithful, etc. Consistency in littleness leads to greatness. So, just forgive today, be pure today, be honest today, be faithful today; take each day as it comes.

In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. This help does not mean that we will no longer feel weak or that we will be justified in our falls but that the help of the Holy Spirit will strengthen our little but genuine resolve to choose good over evil. Therefore, if we are not making effort, we have nothing for the Spirit to help us with. The psalmist assures us that the Lord is good and forgiving; but that is when we are repentant. God’s forgiveness has never reached anyone who has remained in sinfulness. God’s mercy is functional upon those who genuinely wants to turn from weeds to wheat. Today, rather than repent, many have chosen to remain weeds while putting on the cloak of wheat. See, pretense is a sign of obstinacy in sin. No matter how much weeds pretend to be wheat, the time of harvest will surely reveal their true nature: weeds can never be fruitful.

Beloved, as we long for a total defeat over evil, we must look up to the time of harvest. This means we must be busy bearing fruits in abundance; for that will be our only mark of distinction from weeds. So, on the last day, a fruitless wheat will be gather with the weeds. It is not enough to complain over evil; if you are not producing goodness, you are already supporting evil. Am I a wheat or a weed? God’s mercy is not weakness; at the appointed time, he will judge the world. The mysteries of the kingdom suggests that in all your actions and inactions, think of death.