Matthew 13:24-43
https://wau.org/meditations/2020/07/19/174247/
evil exists in the world ; evil will be destroyed forever
DAILY MEDITATION: MATTHEW 13:24-43
The kingdom of heaven is like . . . (Matthew 13:31, 33)
In his parable of the weeds among the wheat, Jesus confirms what we already know to be true: evil exists in the world. We see evidence of it all around us. Sometimes it even seems as if evil is winning out. Will the weeds eventually choke out the wheat and overrun the field of God’s kingdom?
Jesus assures us that it will not. In the end, the angels of God will sort the good from the bad, and evil will be destroyed forever (Matthew 13:41). The fact is, by his death and resurrection, Jesus has already won the victory over evil. Someday God’s kingdom will reign over all the earth.
Meanwhile, how can we hasten its coming? It’s significant that after telling the first parable about the weeds and the wheat, Jesus tells two more parables about the kingdom of heaven. It’s like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large bush (Matthew 13:31-32). It’s like a little yeast that leavens a whole loaf of bread (13:33). These are hopeful images! God’s kingdom isn’t static. It begins in many small ways and then grows and grows.
You have a part to play in its growth! With every prayer, with every act of faith, with every good deed, you help to build the kingdom of heaven on earth. Making time for prayer, worshipping at Mass, helping the poor, sharing your faith, reaching out to a friend in need, speaking out in defense of life—in these ways and more, you can participate in growing God’s kingdom. Yes, they can seem like small things. But so are the mustard seed and that little pinch of yeast.
So don’t get discouraged by the evil you see, and don’t give up hope. Believe that your small acts of faithfulness really do make a difference. And taken together with other believers, they become a mighty force in choking out the weeds of this world.
“Lord, may your kingdom come!”
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Romans 8:26-27
DAILY MEDITATION: MATTHEW 13:24-43
The kingdom of heaven is like . . . (Matthew 13:31, 33)
In his parable of the weeds among the wheat, Jesus confirms what we already know to be true: evil exists in the world. We see evidence of it all around us. Sometimes it even seems as if evil is winning out. Will the weeds eventually choke out the wheat and overrun the field of God’s kingdom?
Jesus assures us that it will not. In the end, the angels of God will sort the good from the bad, and evil will be destroyed forever (Matthew 13:41). The fact is, by his death and resurrection, Jesus has already won the victory over evil. Someday God’s kingdom will reign over all the earth.
Meanwhile, how can we hasten its coming? It’s significant that after telling the first parable about the weeds and the wheat, Jesus tells two more parables about the kingdom of heaven.
It’s like a tiny mustard seed that grows into a large bush (Matthew 13:31-32). It’s like a little yeast that leavens a whole loaf of bread (13:33). These are hopeful images! God’s kingdom isn’t static. It begins in many small ways and then grows and grows.
Our Mission:
You have a part to play in its growth! With every prayer, with every act of faith, with every good deed, you help to build the kingdom of heaven on earth. Making time for prayer, worshipping at Mass, helping the poor, sharing your faith, reaching out to a friend in need, speaking out in defense of life—in these ways and more, you can participate in growing God’s kingdom. Yes, they can seem like small things. But so are the mustard seed and that little pinch of yeast.
So don’t get discouraged by the evil you see, and don’t give up hope. Believe that your small acts of faithfulness really do make a difference. And taken together with other believers, they become a mighty force in choking out the weeds of this world.
“Lord, may your kingdom come!”
Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Romans 8:26-27
http://www.usccb.org/about/divine-worship/liturgical-calendar/index.cfm
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071920.cfm
Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 106
Reading 1WIS 12:13, 16-19
There is no god besides you who have the care of all,
that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.
For your might is the source of justice;
your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.
For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;
and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.
But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,
and with much lenience you govern us;
for power, whenever you will, attends you.
And you taught your people, by these deeds,
that those who are just must be kind;
and you gave your children good ground for hope
that you would permit repentance for their sins.
Responsorial PsalmPS 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
- (5a) Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
All the nations you have made shall come
and worship you, O LORD,
and glorify your name.
For you are great, and you do wondrous deeds;
you alone are God.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
You, O LORD, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.
R. Lord, you are good and forgiving.
Reading 2ROM 8:26-27
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.
AlleluiaCF. MT 11:25
- Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 13:24-43 OR 13:24-30
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.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
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?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him,
‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
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.”’”
He proposed another parable to them.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the ‘birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.’”
He spoke to them another parable.
“The kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened.”
All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He 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 fire,
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 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.”
or
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.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
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?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
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.”’”
