BE MINDFUL OF THE KIND OF SEED YOU SOW

 

Homily for the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Scriptural Texts: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19, Romans 8:26-27, Matthew 13:24-43

 

After listening to the parable of the Sower in the gospel reading of last Sunday, today, Jesus presents us with another parable, the parable of the wheat and weeds. Like the parable of the Sower, the parable of the wheat and weeds also uses agricultural imagery, that is, relatable and straightforward narratives to convey complex and important spiritual lessons. However, unlike the parable of the Sower that emphasizes the importance of being receptive to God’s Word, the parable of the wheat and darnel focuses on the co-existence of good and evil in the world, and the final judgment.

The parable of the wheat and darnel reveals the reality of our fallen world, where good (represented by the wheat) and evil (represented by the darnel) co-exist side by side (Matthew 13:30). The Son of man is the sower of good (wheat) while the evil one is the sower of evil (weeds)- Mathew 13:24-25). This illustration takes our mind back to the creation account in the book of Genesis where we read that when God finished the work of creation, he saw that all he made was very good (Genesis 1:25). As such, God is not the author of evil. Sin and evil are present in the world as a result of human free will and the influence of the evil one. But then, the fact that God allows good and evil to co-exist in the world does not mean that God approves or condones evil.

The decision of the landowner to allow the wheat and darnel to grow together until the harvest represents God’s patience and mercy towards sinners (Matthew 13:30). God gives us time and opportunities to repent and turn away from evil. This is because God desires that all may come to salvation (2 Peter 3:9). The parable points to the reality of the final judgment when Jesus will separate the righteous from the wicked. While both good and evil may co-exist for a time, there will be a day of reckoning when God will bring justice and judgment (Matthew 13:30, Matthew 25:31-46). It is possible that the life you are living at the moment is the opportunity God has given you to turn away from your sins before the day of judgement comes.

The servants’ initial response to uproot the weeds reflects the human inclination to judge, condemn others hastily, and impulsively eradicate perceived evil (Matthew 13:28-29). Such rash actions may inadvertently harm the righteous or prevent the potential transformation of the “darnel” into “wheat” through repentance and grace. The parable cautions against taking judgment into our own hands and reminds us to leave the task of judgment to God- the ultimate judge, who sees and knows all hearts (Romans 14:10-12). Our role is to love, forgive, and pray for the redemption and transformation of others rather than seeking to impose our own judgment.

Lastly, the parable of the mustard seed teaches us that both good (virtue) and evil (vice) habits often have small beginnings. They both grow from a tiny seed. Great sins all have small beginnings. They grow from temptations to commit small sins. Every evil is first conceived in the thoughts; our thoughts affect our feelings; and our feelings affect our actions. It always begins small like a small seed and then grows into a big shrub. Once consented to, the temptations grow larger. It is the same with good. Small acts of goodness and kindness can grow into profound virtues, while seemingly insignificant choices can lead to sinful and destructive behavior. Therefore, we must ensure that no bad habits take root in our life. We must be sure of the kind of seed we sow in the field of our heart. The choice of whether to sow wheat or weed is solely ours. May God help us to always sow the good seed of faith, love, forgiveness, patience, and mercy.