“THE LORD IS GOOD AND FORGIVING” (Psalm 86:5)

⏰Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)

????Wis 12:13, 16-19; Psalm 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16a (R.v.5a); Rom 8:26-27; Matt 13:24-4

The patience and tolerance of God is made evident through the parables in the Gospel of today. In the first parable concerning the good seeds and the weeds, we see the image of the ever-tolerant God in the man, who sowed good seed in his field, opting to allow the weeds grow alongside the seeds instead of yielding to the suggestions of his servant to have the weed removed immediately (Matt 13:27-30).

The First Reading from the Book of Wisdom makes us to understand that this is not a sign of weakness on the part of God but a mark of Gods leniency. The presence of the good seed and weed in the same field represents the existence of both saints and sinners in the church. God is not ready to do away with sinners but wants to give them enough room to repent.

Note that this parable is also a response to those, especially the Pharisees, who are scandalized and not comfortable with the presence of sinners among Jesus followers. (cf. Matt 9:11; Mark 2:15-17). By extension, we are equally warned against passing judgement against others but pray for them to repent and come back to God. So, two points are to be seriously noted from that parable:

????First, it presents to us the leniency of God which gives room to the sinner to repent, and;

????Second, it calls us to imitate God in being lenient to others.

The next two parables – The mustard seed and the leaven – also bring those two points out clearly. Though, they might seem to pay more attention to the second point. They serve to encourage and reassure sinners that they can grow from their low state into emblems of emulation.

Beyond that, they represent the church in her challenges of growth but now expected to provide shelter and sustenance to others just like the mustard tree that provides shelter and the leaven that provides food.

We cannot do all these on our own power, hence, St. Paul tells us in the Second Reading to embrace the Spirit of God who would intercede for us and help us in our weakness.

May God help us to be accommodating to others; helping one another to grow into the perfection which is demanded of us. And may we not remain stagnant and so merit the casting into fire of destruction on the last day. Amen.

Have a fruitful Sunday. Peace be with you.