16th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Wisdom 12:13, 16–19
Psalm 86:5–6, 9–10, 15–16
Romans 8:26–27
Matthew 13:24–43
Is the glass half-full or half-empty? Optimists see fullness, and pessimists see emptiness. A second look, with a scientific mind, suggests that the glass is completely full – half with something we can see (the liquid) and half with something we cannot see (air).
When we encounter evil, the bad things that we experience that are unavoidable, we can wonder just how anyone could be optimistic. We do good and try to take care of all the details that ensure our success, but we discover that things turn out differently than we expected.
Jesus’ parable about the good seed and the bad seed resulting in the wheat and weeds growing together suggests that He is a realist. He knows that we will not always experience what we hope for. His message suggests that we have to live in the world as it is, but to put our trust in God to work things out in the end.
“The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all who cause others to sin and all evildoers. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”
Justice will be established when history runs its course. The final assessment of all that has occurred will not be our responsibility, but rather will be attended to by the Son of Man, Who will send out His agents – the angels. In the meantime, we live with weeds and wheat growing together.
This answer may not, at first hearing, seem satisfying. But if we listen with ears that are attuned to the mystery of the kingdom, we will discover that it is an invitation to hope. The world is complicated, and God understands that we are not always sure how to proceed in the face of what happens to us.
We try to do right, but we fail. We can’t control all the factors that influence what happens. God knows this. We must trust that our efforts are not in vain.
Many who consider themselves sophisticated and educated think there is no real enemy, that the devil does not exist. Jesus’ parable implies that there is truly an enemy at work to disrupt our efforts. But it does not tell us that we are off the hook. We must still do our job and live with the consequences of our actions and the activity of the enemy.
There is a nuance to the parables of the mustard seed and the yeast that is often missed. The seed does not result in a large tree, but in a bush that is just high enough for birds to use as a home – one that is not safe from predators. Yeast is a symbol of growth, but it is most often seen as a symbol of growth that is corrupt. It refers to something that undermines the way things are.
The kingdom will surprise us because it will never be just what we expect. It will be smaller and still leave us in danger. It will serve to undermine our way of life, our way of thinking.
When we throw in our lot with God, we are to give our whole selves and let go of control. Accepting what happens as somehow part of God’s Will – even if only His permissive Will – leaves us uncomfortable and vulnerable. We have to commit and let the chips fall where they may.
How has your understanding of the kingdom of God interfered with the life you want to lead in this world? How willing are you to allow things to grow at their own pace and in their own way? Can you allow Jesus to enter your home and your heart to help you to understand the mysteries of the kingdom?