…from your Pastor’s Desk
We are a storytelling people and we come from a storytelling faith, and we get it from the Man Himself. We know that Jesus was the Master storyteller, and He often used a form called a “parable,” in which a truth is compared to something very familiar. Last Sunday we had the sower and the seeds.
Today, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is “like a man who sowed good seed,” or “like a mustard seed,” or “like yeast.” Notice how tiny and seemingly insignificant are the three examples that Jesus uses.
Then, something creative and powerful happens! The good seed has grown into a field of rich, golden grain,
-the little mustard seed has developed into such a large and bushy tree that the birds come and dwell in its branches,
-and the tiny bit of yeast has caused the dough to ferment and expand into delicious, fragrant bread!
The first parable is full of high drama. An enemy (the devil) comes at night to sow weeds in with the grain. The farmer’s helpers (Jesus’ disciples) are dismayed, and are all set to pull out the weeds, until the farmer (God) wisely stops them, warning them to patiently wait until harvest time (judgment day) to separate weeds from the wheat.
There are many lessons for us today. First, how do we know the difference between a plant and a weed? There is a weed called the Darnel or Taras that looks exactly like wheat until the very end when it matures and does not have a wheat ‘head’.
We mustn’t be too quick to make judgments! Growing up in Jersey my neighbor, Mr. Gerilli, a man who grew up in Italy – would come over and pick our dandelions, from which he would make wine. So we see that some weeds are delicious and useful [I love Dill Weed]. And in God’s eyes all people are wonderfully made for He made us, each of us, with intentionality and on purpose. So, when it comes to people, it’s best to let God decide! Our job is to carefully cultivate the wheat. To nurture the soul… to love as The master loved.
St. Augustine tells us that we must love everyone—not just those who are the faithful members of the Church. To those who say, “We are your enemies,” we are to say, “No, you are brothers and sisters of ours, not our enemies.” Why? Because by our love and patience, we may bring about a change of heart and mind in those who, at present, work evil. God made them just as God made us and God wants them in heaven with us.
Pope Benedict XVI, in his encyclical “Saved by Hope,” told us that Christians are certain that, whatever happens in our lives, we will one day experience a favorable outcome. “Only when the future is certain as a positive reality, does it become possible to live the present as well.”
Therefore, if your life has been difficult it will get better. If your life has been trouble-free – it will get better still! For all of us – the best is yet to come! Hope makes it all possible to live patiently with the weeds in the midst of the wheat!
So – don’t get caught up in the weeds – they are a part of life…and…God will take care of them on judgment day.
Father Ron
