BASED ON CATHOLIC LITURGICAL READINGS
16TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME, YEAR A
THEME: “THE KINGDOM OF GOD”
((Readings: 1st: Wis 12:13.16-19; Ps: 85; 2nd: Rom 8:26-27; Gos: Mt 13:24-43))
Today being the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we all turn our attention to the Lord, the only Just Judge, who through his mercy and compassion, invites us to be members of His kingdom. Our mother church reminds us today that the Holy Spirit will help and guide us in our journey toward God´s kingdom of justice. The Book of Wisdom shows us the picture of a merciful and patient God who acts kindly with us. God exercises leniency and clemency: “Though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us.” God is so powerful and wise that he need not be vengeful and quick to punish. This God can afford to let His enemies live, for they can never prevail, and, given time, might repent.
Last Sunday we talked about the parable of the Sower who sowed only good seed in the field. Today his servants are surprised by the outcome: “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in the field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” Of course, the enemy planted darnel in the night but why does the master refuse his servant to weed the darnel? Perhaps we may also be wondering; Why does God permit evil to triumph so often in this world? Why are the wicked allowed to prosper? Why does God allow criminals, corrupt, terrorists, Satan, witches, and wicked people to exist? Why does he not eliminate all these from our midst? Why does God not intervene and put order in the world?
Our merciful Father prefers the good and the evil to co-exist together in his kingdom until the appointed time of harvest when he himself will instruct the Angels to separate the good from the bad. Until then, God is exercising the following three things:
- MERCY: The book of wisdom today extols God being a just judge. „You never judge unjustly; your justice has its source in strength”. In his mercy, he pardons us and gives us new opportunities to relent in our ways and change our hearts. “…and you have given your sons the just hope that after sin you grant repentance.” God is so merciful that he allows evil to exist in order that what is good may grow. He allows evil to exist because he can turn it into good. Through the power of the Spirit, God can change even the ugliest thorn into a blossom of faith.
Just as God is kind in his judgment to us, as Christians we must also be kind to other people. We should grant people new opportunities to prove their faithfulness and loyalty. We should be merciful towards others just as our Father in heaven is merciful towards us.
- LOVE: The love of God is not only reserved for the few righteous, virtuous, or saints. He is the Lord of all people and has power over the just and unjust alike. “He makes his sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous (those who are morally upright) and the unrighteous, the unrepentant and those who oppose him.” (Mt 5:25). When darkness or calamity comes, it befalls both the righteous and unrighteous alike. God is so generous with his love and wants to teach his people that they just must love all people, not just the good, and he wants sinners to convert.
- PATIENCE: The impatient servants in the parable today want permission to eliminate the darnel immediately. Do they want to uproot and destroy all the weeds? However, the master responded “No. Let them both grow together till the harvest time.” This reveals to us the attitude of God towards the evil that exists in the world, in the church, and in every individual.
God uses the wickedness and injustice of evildoers to challenge and perfect his elect. Remember each one of us is a combination of both the wheat and the weeds. In each person, there are elements of the Kingdom of God and elements that are deeply opposed to it. Even St. Paul recognized that struggle within himself. “Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being, I delight in God´s law, but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.” (Rom 7:21-25).
God is patient with each one of us because he wants us to repent and bear good fruits. He is not in a hurry to uproot and destroys us until we prove complete stubbornness of heart. We should therefore not be so quick to judge others because we are neither perfect. Are you able to accommodate and tolerate the weaknesses of your friends?
In brief dear friend, each one of us is a mixture of wheat and darnel. We all have our shortcomings and weaknesses. However, today we are here for God loves us, and because of his unfathomable mercy, He is still patient with you so that you can repent and bear good fruits. We should therefore avoid judging others. Judgment is the function of God which will be done at the appointed time. May the Holy Spirit sustain, prepare, and mark us for the great harvest for the Kingdom of God. Amen!
Prayer: Thy kingdom come. Amen
Fr. Antony Muchui, SVD
Blessed Sunday (Do you want to become a Divine word missionary? Contact our vocation office +255 629269140 or +254 792 299 140)
“May the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all People. Amen”
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 