Reflection for Saturday, 16th Week of Ordinary Time 

By

 

Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest, Bidar

Today's WORD of GOD 

Matthew 13: 24 - 30 

Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

Today's Reflection 

Good & Evil Co-Exist. Good Seems to Lose Its Ground while Evil Seems to Dominate & Defeat. But the Ultimate Victory is Good’s.

The Parable of the Good Seeds & Weeds is a Perennial & Existential Reality of Human Life. There is Good & Evil Everywhere & Every Time. 

There is Constant Tension, Struggle, & Conflict between the 2. 

Evil Always Tries to Suppress the Growth of the Good. Weeds Try to Overpower the Good Seeds & Choke Their Flourishing.

Unfortunately, in spite of All Progress & Education, Evil is Prevalent & Aggressive. And Its Growth is Often Very Subtle & in Disguised Forms. 

Just as the Weeds are Planted by the Enemy while All are Asleep, so too the Evil Slowly but Steadily Spreads Often Unnoticed. 

The Problem of Evil Poses a Perennial Puzzle to Humanity. Why is there Evil? 

Why is It Prevalent & Overpowering? Why is It so Contagious & Pernicious? Is GOD Silent & Inactive? 

Why should the Good Suffer so much at the Hands of the Bad? 

How can the Unjust Prosper so much Detrimental to the Honest People? Will there Not Be an End to This Sad Story? 

More or Less, This is the Crux of the Problem of Evil. The Formulations may Slightly Vary but the Main Content is the Same.

The Parable of Seeds & Weeds is an Attempt to Address This Perennial Issue. In fact, the Parable States the Reality of Evil & also the Way to Respond to It. 

Very Often, Evil is Presented in the Garbs of Modernity, Change, & Fashion. 

There is No Use in Blaming GOD that HE is Not Acting; 

that HE is Noncommittal about the Eradication of Evil. 

We Need to Understand that GOD'S Outlook & Way of Acting are Different. HE is Patient.

HE Continuously Offers Possibilities & Opportunities for Clearing the Weeds in Life, Both Individually & Collectively. 

Personally, HE Waits Patiently so that We Become Self-Responsible & Weed Out the Wrong & the Negative & Cultivate the Good Grain.

GOD Cautions Us Not to Trust Deceptive Words & Worldly Assurances. 

HE Urges Us to Put a Stop to Our Evil-Doings. We must Stop Our Worship of False Gods like Money, Sex, Pleasure, Power, etc.

Actions Define Our True Character. This is the Point Jeremiah Clearly Emphasizes in Today’s 1st Reading.

Israelites Felt Confident that with GOD'S Temple, They are Safe just like there are Many Christians Today who Base Their Security on Mere Church Membership.

Good Morning

Have a pleasant day and a fabulous weekend.

You will be remembered at the Altar tomorrow