Saturday of the Sixteenth Week In Ordinary Time
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?”
When we read this Gospel passage we often think of the “weeds” that surround our life and the names that are associated with them: our mother-in-law, our sister-in-law, our neighbor, etc.
We don’t ever do is consider ourselves as a “weed” in someone’s life! Maybe we should.
While everyone was asleep. Rest is a very good thing, but not while on duty. That’s when the enemy does his thing. We must be vigilant at all times. Careful in not allowing the enemy to take root around us.
As Americans, we have the notion of being very “welcoming.” We are. We welcome everything: good, bad and ugly. Of course this is not what we imagine at first, we imagine only the best. But far too often this is not what we get.
“Who cares what they do as long as they don’t bother me.” This is exactly what people say when they are intellectually and historically asleep. They don’t bother connecting the dots. They never bother to finish putting all the pieces of the puzzle together and looking at the monster they allowed to surface. For me, this is the only reasonable explanation as to why some people are caught off guard by the things that slowly crept up around them. They didn’t bother to care as long as it didn’t bother them.
Isn’t this what cancer does? Isn’t this what dictators do? Isn’t this what we do so well and so often? Hey, be tolerant of us…so that one day we can grow and become intolerant of you!
But as dangerous as these weeds are, they do not compare in the least to the weeds that grow within us.
Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? He did. He absolutely did. And yet, somehow, somewhere, I became something else.
How did I ever become this way? When did I start holding so many grudges? When did I start harboring so much hatred? When did I become so jealous, resentful and bitter towards others?
Do you want us to pull the weeds up? Sin is here to stay. There’s no way around it. But it doesn’t mean we should ever get used to it! Don’t get used to greed, poverty, violence and gated communities. Don’t get used to idolatry and blasphemy. No! These weeds may be here to stay, but they are not what we are. They are all distortions of the One we seek.
Justin Bieber recently spit into a crowd of adoring fans. The new kid off the block is fast becoming a chip off the old block; that is, same-old, same-old story of an unguided childhood.
Who cares what they do as long as they don’t bother me. Oh, the inconsistencies and incoherencies of modern thought! Why this behavior is so bothersome to so many while other things are not is a mystery to me!
Let’s get our ducks in a row. What is disgusting is simply what is unholy. It’s that simple.
Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. Make the same promise the Jews made to Moses, but unlike them let’s keep it: “We will do everything that the Lord has told us” (Ex 24:3-8).
Well, this morning I finally got the courage to make it to confession after putting it off for almost 8 months! I've certainly allowed weeds to grow within myself. I'm so impatient and set in my ways. I'm resentful of others who I feel have accomplished so much more than myself.. Here I am middle age in a fairly dead-end, boring and unappreciated job. I'm sometimes upset with God for giving me an introverted, anxious, and sensitive personality. I should be in a management level now really bringing in the money. But, no, I'm in a "career" where I'm one of the oldest on the team with no leadership potential! I sometimes wonder why I went to college if I knew I end up working in a job a high school grad could easily do! I lack intellectual stimulation which creates a lot of dissatisfaction. (Father, I'm so thankful your blog helps me use brain power!)
ReplyDeleteMy penance for being so selfish and ungrateful for the blessings in my life was to sit down and pray for the poor, the homeless, and the unemployed in my area. Here I am all angry because I wish I had a better life! But, my life is pretty good compared to so many people who don't even make enough to feed their family or live on the streets with no roof over their heads.
I've begun reading the book "Half the Sky" which documents real life stories of young women, particularly in the Asian countries, who are sold into sex trafficking. The oppression of women in modern day is even higher than slavery in the 18th and 19th century. This book is a huge wake up call to all of the weeds in our global society. Reading this book makes me feel horribly guilty for not better appreciating my blessings as an American. My life could be so much worse! I am free to live the life as good or bad as I want it! I should not pity myself for not having what ABC has. I shouldn't feel angry my job isn't perfect. At least I'm employed! I really need to take more time to pray to Our Lord for the betterment of others. Get "out of my own mind" and think of the plight of others.
Blessings,
-Jennifer
Jennifer, you have awakened the sleeping giant of compassion that dwells within you. Keep doing that, it feeds the soul and makes your journey through this world worth living.
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