Gospel Reading: Mt 13:36-43
Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 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.”
REFLECTION: The righteous will shine like the sun
Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the Weeds in the field is very straightforward: it is not about weeds but about people in the world who, being children of the Evil One, refuse to accept God. And it is about their destiny at the end of time. Just as the weeds are gathered and burnt at the end of the harvest season, so also, Jesus warns, are the children of the Evil One. In contrast, the children of the Kingdom, those who belong to God, the righteous ones, will shine like the sun in the Kingdom.
It is curious how Jesus shifts the metaphor as regards the righteous ones. He does not say – in contrast to the weeds of the field – that the righteous are the good grains harvested and gathered into the barn. Instead, he says that they will shine like the sun in the Kingdom. Despite the unexpected twist in the metaphor, the image of the sun shining brightly aptly describes the beautiful destiny of the righteous: they imitate Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness.
* * *
Are we children of the Kingdom in the way we live?
Are we taking our lives seriously so as not to end up in the fiery furnace?
* * *
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2016,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
