28th JULY. TUESDAY IN WEEK 17

1.Exodus33:7-11

2.Matthew 13:36-43

REFLECTIONS AND MEDITATIONS

Wheat and Weeds

From the gospel reading today we get an explanation of the parable of the wheat and the weeds. The focus of the explanation is the destiny and the separation of the good and evil at the end of time. The parable suggests that before that final separation at the end of time, the good and evil will co-exist, in the World and in the Church, and within each one of us. It is undeniable fact that once you plant wheat in the farm, weed will also grow in the wheat’s farm as well. There will be final separation but that will be done by God. It is not our duty to make that final separation in the here and now. If we attempt to do it we will invariably get it wrong, both in regard to ourselves and in regard to others.

Pope Francis once emphasized in his speech that we should be slow to judge. Practically this reading applies to our everyday life, that some time it becomes easy for us to see ourselves as wheat and identify various groups of other people as weeds. We should bear in our minds that human being is never static, rather a human being is dynamic, is a being in a state of potentiality to change. Thus we need to give time to ourselves and to our brothers and sisters who seem always to be evil people on our side. There is always a room for improvement, and for change. Those who seem evil people on our part should be regarded as children of God in a process to change and becoming good people for time to come. Let us bear in mind that in spite the fact that they are evil people on our part, yet from their states of affairs we have got something to learn. Out of evil something good may transpire beyond our expectations.

The fine separation and judgement is only reserved to God.  We can ask ourselves this question that why do we become easy to put a verdict on others? The answers in this question are many; one of them is that, it is because of pride, envy, jealousy and self gratification. Saint Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians says to those who were judging him, “with me it is very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court...... It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore, do not pronounce judgement before the time, before the Lord comes.” (1Cor 4:3). The first reading from the book of exodus reminds us that the Lord who will judge is a “God of tenderness and compassion, slow to anger rich in kindness and faithfulness. Nevertheless, it should not be a justification to keep on allowing scandalous people on the basis of this scripture passage, there is a need to correct one another on a right manner without prejudices or personal justification. For more details read, 1Co 5:1-13)