Wis. 12:13, 16-19; Ps 65:10-14; Rom. 8:18-23; Mt. 13:1-23
Jesus today continues to use parables to reveal to us that he cares for all but all don’t necessarily care. When we approach God with disbelief, with temerity, he is going to show us his power in ways to shake our unbelief. God’s way of caring is with both power and clemency. It is like when a child is learning to ride a bike for the first time without training wheels and he gets scared, falls, starts to cry. The voice of God through his parents says “don’t cry, get up your ok, keep going”. Keep going in search of God and his will in our lives.
Last week he called us to examine the type of seed that we have become. It went from the seed on the path that never matures and dies to the seed that is rich and fruitful for all eternity. Those who keep going seeking the will of God in their lives will discover more than his will, they will enter into the kingdom of God. Those with unbelief are not only giving up on God but by default are giving up on life. It is living to exist devoid of true purpose and meaning that comes from God.
Today he carries forth the idea of the children of the kingdom as “good seed” who live among the “weeds, the children of the evil one”. What distinguishes the children of the kingdom from the children of the evil one? Are we talking about two separate groups or can one fall into both groups? One way to distinguish the separation is Jesus words “follow me”. Those who are faithful in following his word are the seed growing on rich soil. Those who oppose the will of God become children of the evil one.
Recall how Jesus told Peter in Mt. 16:23 “Get behind me Satan! You are an obstacle to me.” This is Peter his loyal follower but his mind and heart was worldly. The battle for our soul wages on to become either a kingdom for God or a kingdom for evil. The good seed has a desire to do the will of God, faithful to church, to prayer, to care for others. The good seed can also be mixed in with bad seed that grows weeds that choke good intent. “I believe BUT church is boring, prayer makes me sleepy, God knows, maybe next time”. Yes, God knows. He knows the path we are on and where it will lead us. He knows a lukewarm heart and he is not pleased. The Old Testament is full of stories where God demonstrates his power on the unbelieving, the sinner to bring conversion because he cares for all.
The enemy comes with the seed of sin to create his own children. This is why we are called the Militant Church on earth because the battle wages on for souls. Each soul must choose who we belong to Christ the King or to the evil one before the Son of Man comes to collect at the end of the age.
Jesus introduces also the mustard seed which he calls the “kingdom of heaven”. If the seed is the children of the kingdom, then the mustard seed is the kingdom of heaven that is growing within our souls to become the “large bush” that draws others to their branches. Jesus sows the mustard seed in our soul in the coming of the Holy Spirit through baptism. The mustard seed is entrusted to us to cultivate, in our children, in our church, and in our world to create great saints. We are all called to be a great saint.
The good news is that we are not alone in this battle. So often in our struggles we feel alone, isolated with our own battles. This is deception by the evil one. God says, “remain in me, as I remain in you” in Jn. 15:4. God describes this world like a woman in labor ready to give birth. I am glad God made me a man and spared me of that pain but like a woman in labor we all face pain, endure suffering, struggle with life’s hardships and make sacrifices. Why? We have faith in something greater to come. There is this joy and expectation that regardless of the cross we bear it will not compare to the glory of God in the resurrection.
The “Master of might” comes “to the aid of our weakness” and to reveal his truth to the power of his love. He comes in the Spirit to “intercede with inexpressible groanings” to give birth to his truth that sets us free. God is the Master of might who “…comes to judge with clemency”. God’s care is for all but not all care to receive it.
Children of God are not timid in their faith. We may appear as timid by remaining humble but humble people have the strength of spirit to remain faithful, enduring hardship, persevering not by might but by love of God and willing to deny themselves for the greater good. God “rebukes timidity” as a sign of lack of faith. The God of might gives us of his power for every encounter in life to stand firm with him. Timidity reveals a superficial “skin deep” commitment to God and a fool’s religion to the world that sees only weakness to be exploited.
Children of God are called to be battle ready. The battle will come from the enemy, the evil one who looks for our weaknesses and knows how to bring on the attack. Are we ready for the spiritual battle? With every victory over evil, we become like the mustard seed growing bigger and stronger in our faith. Others come like birds seeking to receive cover, nourishment and a blessing from the holiness of a child of God. We want to be that person who shares in the cross of Jesus and is not afraid.
Today Jesus explains the parable of the good seed and the weeds in the context of salvation history. Our world then is divided into the “haves and the have nots”, those who have God in their life and those who God is seeking because they have not received him, for he desires all to be saved. The more we have God as the center of our life the more we receive of his kingdom. We cannot however take our salvation for granted since the lost can be converted while the righteous can become perverted.
Finally, a mother and a daughter went on a pilgrimage to Mexico to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. At the time the daughter was a young woman suffering from a terminal illness. When they entered the Cathedral, the daughter said to her mother “do you sense that?” The mother said “no”. She asked again “don’t you sense something?” The mother said “no”. Often when we go on pilgrimages, I know it is true for me having visited Rome, and Jerusalem and other places, we go to see and not to seek. This daughter went seeking in her heart and it was revealed to her making such an impact that the rosary she carried became her weapon of faith from that moment on and she was able to keep going. Do we come to church seeking or waiting to see? When we seek it is revealed and we will be able to keep going. God is here for the care of all, seeking us and it is up to us now to respond and believe.
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