SIXTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YR A
Wis 12:13,16-19; P 86
Rom 8:26-27; Mt. 13:24-43
DIVINE PATIENCE FOR GOODNESS
Our gospel for this Sunday, we have been given a number of parables to reflect upon but I would like to focus on the first one for this reflection.
It is a parable of a man who cultivated his farm land. But as the seeds began to grow, his servants discovered that some other seeds were growing alongside the seeds that have been sown. The servants suggested that these other weeds (darnel) be uprooted. But the master asked that they allow them to grow and that the difference would become evidence at harvest time.
The refusal of the master to allow the servants to uproot the weeds is worthy of note. At first glance we may think that this is a battle between good and bad people. We may try to see whether there is anything the evil one has sown around us. While this may be true, I think that this parable speaks about our own lives. He says, ‘But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them’. (Matt. 13:29). The reason why the wheat may be uprooted with them is that at that stage of growth the darnel and the wheat will have their roots intertwined. This is why one cannot remove the darnel alone and not the wheat too.
In each one of us is a mixture of the tendency to be good and to be bad. If we sincerely do an introspection, we would agree that we are not good all the time. At one time we are good and at another time we are bad. Sometimes we are truthful and other times we hide ourselves in falsehood. In all persons is the struggle to be good and to be bad.
The option of the master to wait till harvest, tells of the patience of the master. He believes that as they grow, the good seed he has sown will outgrow the bad seed. In the same way God believes in you and I. He believes that the good seed of the death of Jesus will cause virtue to grow in your life and my life as we grow.
In the second reading, Paul tells us that God has given us his Spirit. What is the Spirit to do? “Spirit helps us in our weakness;” (Rom. 8:26). The Holy Spirit will help us to overcome our weaknesses. He will accompany us and help us to win and become virtuous people. This is great news. God does not desire to see us drown in our weaknesses; he wants to see us victorious. May we allow the Holy Spirit to help form goodness in us. What weaknesses do you have? Call on the Holy Spirit. He even teaches us to pray better. “…for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that same Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words”. (Rom 8:26b).
When we have overcome our weaknesses with the help of the Holy Spirit, we too must become patient with others whose life still bears the complexity of goodness and evil. We must believe in them as God believes in us. We must support them, letting them know that they can also overcome. With them we share our stories of victory. We must never cease to pray on their behalf for the strength and courage of the Holy Spirit.
Together as we grow out of evil may we impact the world positively. May God be pleased with our victory. May Jesus be by us by granting us his help always. May he thread the challenging path of our lives with us.
God bless you.
By Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
