Daily Gospel Reflection
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July 23, 2022
Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field.
While everyone was asleep his enemy came
and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.
When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well.
The slaves of the householder came to him and said,
‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field?
Where have the weeds come from?’
He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’
His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds
you might uproot the wheat along with them.
Let them grow together until harvest;
then at harvest time I will say to the harvesters,
“First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning;
but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
I am, by nature, a person who sees the world in black and white. Things are either right or wrong, good or bad, true or false. So, for me, it is easy to conclude that the wheat represents those of us on the path to eternal life with Jesus and the weeds are those that are not. And because I am well aware that I am a sinner, it’s easy for me to self-identify as a weed.
Fortunately, I have learned over the years that very little is black and white. The most devoted follower of Christ has weeds in their life. In turn, the seemingly most depraved person is capable of doing good. We are an amalgam of wheat and weeds. If we weren’t, we either would not need a savior, or we would be beyond saving!
In contemplating further, I’ve realized those weeds in our lives are often opportunities to grow. Doubt is an opportunity for faith, despair for hope, and selfishness for charity. And, of course, every weed in our lives is an opportunity for love.
How do we know we are on the right path, successfully pruning the weeds from our lives? I frequently turn to one of Thomas Merton’s most famous prayers, which goes in part like this, “… I believe that the desire to please you does, in fact, please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.”
Thankfully, our Lord cuts straight through the results of our fumblings and sees where our heart is and what our intentions are. I am confident that our efforts to prune the weeds from our lives are pleasing to God. We have only to listen and follow.
Prayer
You alone, Lord, know what is the wheat of our lives and what is the weed in our lives. Help us to be patient as the wheat and the weeds co-exist and grow together. Help us to trust in your work in our lives even when we don’t know which is which. Help us to entrust everything to your mercy until that day when you separate the weeds from the wheat. Help us to believe that you know what you’re doing and would never allow anything to harm us. We believe that you will turn everything into good in our lives. This we pray through Christ Our Lord. Amen.