On this 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, the unifying thread that runs throughout our readings today is certainly the goodness, mercy, and patience of God. But beneath that lies an even deeper lesson, that God's power is revealed not primarily in force, but in patient mercy that seeks our conversion. And each reading approaches this truth from a different angle.
In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, the twelfth chapter, we read about how God's power is mercy. The passage is extraordinary because it overturns the way human beings usually think about power. Human beings associate power with domination, punishment, and immediate justice. But Wisdom says something remarkable: “Though you are master of might, you judge with clemency, and with much lenience you govern us.” (Wisdom 12:18)
Notice the logic here. Because God is all-powerful, He does not need to prove Himself by destroying sinners. Instead, His omnipotence is demonstrated by His ability to be patient. And this is why the reading concludes, and I quote, with these words: “You gave your children good ground for hope that you would permit repentance for their sins.” (Wisdom 12:19)
The purpose of God's patience, my brothers and sisters, is never indifference, complacency, that He doesn't care. The purpose of God's patience is for our conversion.
In the second reading from Saint Paul's Letter to the Christians in Rome, his Letter to the Romans, Saint Paul speaks about how God's patience extends even to our weakness. Paul moves from God's patience with sinners to God's patience with believers. Even when we want to pray, even when we love God, we often don't know how. And Paul says, and I quote: “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.” (Romans 8:26)
Notice again, God doesn't abandon us because we're weak. He enters into our weakness. Even our inability to pray becomes a place where He is able to work His power, His grace, His benevolence, His mercy. Just as He is patiently awaiting the repentance of us sinners, the Holy Spirit patiently forms the saints that we are to be.
Finally, we get to the Gospel. And the question arises, why doesn't God destroy evil immediately? This is probably one of the greatest questions every Christian asks. If God is good, why does He allow evil to remain? And a lot of atheists will bring that argument to the forefront. If God is so good, why does He allow pain?
Jesus answers with the parable of the weeds. The servants are scandalized. “Didn't you sow good seed?” (Matthew 13:27) Their question really is ours. Lord, if you are good, where did all this evil come from? And the master answers: “An enemy has done this.” (Matthew 13:28)
Jesus removes every suspicion that evil comes from God. God plants only good seed. The devil, the man that comes by night in secret to do evil, in this parable represents the devil. The devil introduces corruption, the weeds.
Now the surprising part of the parable is this. The servants immediately propose the solution most of us would probably propose: “Shall we pull them up?” (Matthew 13:28) In other words, destroy evil now. Judge them now. Separate now.
But Jesus says no. Why does He say no? Because God's concern is not merely removing the weeds. His main concern is saving the wheat. If you rip everything out too early, you destroy what God is still growing. It changes everything.
Now this applies to us personally, my brothers and sisters. Usually we hear this parable, we immediately think about evil people. But Jesus wants us to think about ourselves. Every Christian carries both grace and weakness, holiness and imperfection, generosity and selfishness. We commit a mixture of good and sometimes evil. But God is incredibly patient with us.
Imagine if God judged Saint Peter after denying Christ three times, or Paul while he was still Saul persecuting Christians, or Saint Augustine before his conversion, when he had a woman bear a son out of wedlock, or Saint Francis before embracing poverty, the party king of Assisi. None would have become saints. God waited, and God waits on us as well, because He is tender and merciful.
Let us allow Him to continue to mould us, to continue to give us the grace and to illuminate our hearts and our minds, so that we too can choose to do what is good and holy before Him, to walk humbly in His presence, so that the weeds in our lives will never overtake the wheat.
“You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:13–14) Look at how highly He thinks of us.
May you know this day that you are loved, and you are accompanied by God Himself, as He continues to grow you into a wonderful saint.
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