Gospel: Parables of the Weeds, Mustard Seed, and Leavened

Today is the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the Gospel will be read from St Matthew in Eucharistic Celebrations around the world.

He put another parable before them, "The Kingdom of Heaven is may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, then the darnell appeared as well.

The owner's laborers came to him and said, "Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnell come from?" He said to them, "Some enemy has done this." And the laborers said, "Do you want us to go and weed it out?"

But he said, "No, because when you weed out the darnel you might weed out the wheat with it. Let them both grow till harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: forst collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat to my barn."

He put another parable before them, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it was grown it is the biggest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air can come and shelter in its branches."

He told them another parable, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through."

In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: I will speak to you in parables, unfold what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.

Then, leaving the crowds, he went to the house; and his disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable about the darnel in the field."

"He said in reply, "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel the subjects of the Evil One.; the enemy who sowed it, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels.

Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of falling and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

Then the upright will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Anyone who has ears should listen!"

The Gospel talks about three parables that Jesus taught to the crowd. The first parable, that of the weeds, talks about the end of the world. Often times, we find ourselves in a situation where we hear a lot of interpretations of who Jesus is, and what the Word really means. But just like the parable of the sower from last Sunday's reading, it is not about just hearing the teachings, but who we are actually serving.

Many times, a lot of teachers will dwell with the Word, and teaching in impeccable clarity, but only to find out later on that they have a different agenda. They are not serving Jesus at all, but working towards riches and honor from the world.

But Jesus does not want his servants to pull out the workers of the Evil One from the field right away, because they might set a bad example to his flock. Jesus have taught to love our enemies, and when someone slaps us on the right cheek we should give our left cheek as well.

The other two parables explain to us what a mustard seed can become if it was left to grow, as well as how a dough rises when it was mixed with yeast. This is how we should take God's Word. Even the smallest seed of faith that is sown in our hearts will later on make us stronger, and we will become a comfort for others too. When we meet God and learned who he really is, we are like a dough that will rise and grow spiritually.

Let us pray:  Lord Jesus, you are God of justice. Protect us, and never let us to be separated from you. We ask this through the intercession of Mary, Mother of God, amen.

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