Jer. 14:17-22, Ps. 79:8-9,11,13, Matthew 13:36-43
“The field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.” (Matthew 13:38-39)
In today’s Gospel passage, we see Jesus explaining the parable of the wheat and the weeds. In this parable, Jesus was not talking about non-Christians neither was he talking about anyone outside the territory of God’s kingdom.
On the day of our baptism, God admitted us into his kingdom and we now answered the name, Christian. However, as time went on, satan succeeded in sowing very bad seeds into some of us and instead of bearing fruits, we became weeds (useless plants) growing within that same kingdom of God.
In all honesty, there are some Christians who are a real disgrace to the body of Christ. Not only do they fail to bear the right fruits needed, they prevent other plants from growing normally. These are the weeds that Jesus is talking about who will be gathered and thrown into the furnace of fire at the end of time.
The question we must ask ourselves today is: “Am I a weed in God’s kingdom?” Let us join Jeremiah in today’s first reading to ask for God’s mercy that we may no longer be weeds but good seed.
Today, we remember Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary. According to Catholic.org, “There are no mentions of them in the Bible or Gospels, what we know comes from Catholic legend and the Gospel of James, which is an unsanctioned, apocryphal writing form the second century AD… We have no true primary sources that prove they even existed, but certainly we can agree that Mary had parents. Likewise, we can agree that Mary had good, faithful parents who raised her with a love and devotion to God like none other except Jesus Christ Himself. Joachim and Anne serve as role models for parents and both deserve to be honoured and emulated for their devotion to God and Our Lady Mary, the Mother of God.”
Let us pray: Almighty ever-living God, help me to live a good life. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Bible Study: Jer. 14:17-22, Ps. 79:8-9,11,13, Matthew 13:36-43).
© Rev. Fr. Evaristus Abu