The weeds among the wheat

Scripture for Mass

Wisdom 12:13, 16-19

Psalm 86(85): 5-6. 9-10. 15-16a. Response: 5a

Romans 8:26-27

Matthew 13:24-43

One of the reasons given by many people for not wanting to be baptised are the contradictions between the beliefs and actions of Christians. And indeed, all of us Christians fall far short in our efforts to follow the example of Jesus of Nazareth.

During his public ministry, Jesus recognised this reality and addressed it in different ways, including through the use of various parables such as the one about the wheat and the weeds in today’s gospel.

While it may seem easy for us to differentiate between true Christians and hypocritical believers, the parable states that the weeds grew unnoticed alongside the wheat for a considerable period. In fact, it was only when the ears of grain began to form that the farm labourers spotted the weeds. This twist ought to alert us to the risk of making premature judgements based on shaky criteria as to who is a saint or a sinner.

And then comes the second twist. Even when the owner of the field realised the problem of the weeds, rather than causing damage to the wheat crop by uprooting them immediately, he decides to let them grow together until harvest time. In other words, God knows that his Church is a mix of good and evil right now but is willing to wait patiently until the end of time to bring it to perfection.

And if such an approach to the faults and failings of Christians contradicts our beliefs about God, maybe it’s because we consider ourselves wiser and more upright than God!